When a Man Loves a Woman
by Snowstar
Summary: Snape is in love with Hermione, but he's not the only one to be so.... Be kind, it's my first Harry Potter-fic
1. It all Begins

Authors note: This is my first Harry Potter-fic' and I choosed to write about our dear Miss Granger and our dreaded Potions Master.why? 'cause it's a very forbidden relationship so of course I have to explore it.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters (FUCK!) they all belong to J K Rowling...yadda yadda yadda...  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter I : It All Begins  
  
"Class dismissed" Professor Flitwick shouted with his calm grandfather tone. All the students walked out of Flitwick's classroom.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked Hermione. The thought that Harry now had feelings for her made her so excited.  
  
"Absolutely" Hermione responded calmly as she gathered all the books she needed after lunch in the Great Hall "I mean, just the way he looks at you tells me everything, how come you don't see anything?"  
  
"I am cursed with this thing that when I look at him and he looks back at me my entire face turns red, so I haven't got a chance to look at him in the eyes, but when I do he's not looking at me."  
  
"Poor thing, well I know it and not only because of the way he looks at you, every time when I or Ron mentions your name his head always popps up from the ground."  
  
As they walked to the Great Hall they heard a smacking sound in the corner next to the bathrooms.  
  
"Ron and Parvati!" Hermione hissed.  
  
Ron and Parvati were standing in the corner and feverishly made out with each other. Ron looked at Hermione, his lips all swollen.  
  
"What? We didn't do anything"  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Ok, ok, we just had the urge to do it."  
  
"How can you have the urge to make out with someone just like that?"  
  
"Oh, Hermione, you'll find out as soon as you get a boyfriend." Parvati smiled.  
  
"Get a room next time, will you" Ginny spoke with a bit of a disgusted look in her eyes.  
  
Harry came out from the boys bathroom.  
  
"What's all the noise here?" he asked but he only needed to look at Ron's and Parvati's red faces and swollen lips to understand.  
  
"I see" he said then his eyes fell on Ginny "Hi Ginny" he smiled.  
  
Ginny turned her face to the floor and murmured a "Hi" loud enough for Harry to hear.  
  
"So are we going to the Three Broomsticks tonight?" Harry suggested.  
  
"Sure" they all answered at the same time without noticing the tall dark figure that was walking up to them.  
  
Professor Snape was heading to the Great Hall but stopped as he saw the five Gryffindors chatting. With a look on Ron's and Parvati's flushed faces he growled so that Ron and Parvati almost got cold from the draught.  
  
"MR WEASLEY AND MISS PATIL! TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR FOR YOUR RUDE BEHAVIOUR IN THE HALL!" His voice was so loud, but at the same time so silky (according to Hermione) so all the people in the great hall probably heard him. "And another five points from Gryffindor for your late arrival for dinner."  
  
All five of them opened their mouths to protest.  
  
"Do I need to remove another five points?" he hissed at them.  
  
"No, sir" they all said together.  
  
"Good, then get into the Great Hall"  
  
They started to move forward, but Hermione stopped in front of Snape.  
  
"Professor, why do you have to remove points for such a petty detail?"  
  
Severus leaned forward so close to her face that his forehead was almost touching hers.  
  
"It's none of your business how and why I remove points as I do" he spoke with a silky drawl "Now get in the Great Hall before Gryffindor don't have any points at all."  
  
And with that she left.  
  
As she turned her back to him he realised that he had been holding his breath and now exhaled.  
  
He rushed to the boys bathroom with his robes billowing behind him. God, only talking to her made himself get dizzy. Severus had been infatuated with Hermione for almost a year now. Having teached her in six years now her beauty had grown along with her intelligence, and to his eyes, heart and mind she was irresistible. He remembered the day before she was going to start at Hogwarts when he had been looking in the Erised Mirror and her image had reflected the glass. Of course he didn't knew who she was but the next day when she had been sorted to Gryffindor his eyes had almost popped out from their holes when he first saw her.  
  
He hadn't understood why that little 'Know-it-all'- figure was the object for his heart greatest desire when she had irritated him already during their first lesson. But the fire that had burned in his heart the first day of her sixth year when she had entered the doors to the Great Hall had never died, feelings that he thought he'd never be capable of feeling had blossomed up inside of him. That day a girl hadn't entered the Great Hall, but a woman. And now he was lost to her in the heat of love. Oh yes, he was in love for the very first time.  
  
Having only made love to whores in his life he was going to win her heart, he knew if she didn't become his before her time at Hogwarts was over he was going to kill himself.  
  
One thing that he was well aware of was that he was not the only one who had feelings for her. But she would belong to him even if he had to kill for it.  
  
Taking a deep breath he stepped out from the boys bathroom and headed to the Great HllHHHjgfjkgfjk Hall.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I'd like to run away from you,  
  
But if I were to leave you  
  
I would die.  
  
I'd like to break the chains you've put around me,  
  
And yet I'll never try.  
  
No matter what you do, you drive me crazy,  
  
I'd rather be alone,  
  
But then I know my life would be so empty  
  
As soon as you are gone.  
  
Impossible to live with you,  
  
But I could never live without you  
  
For whatever you do  
  
I never, never, never want to be in love with anyone but you.  
  
You make me sad, you make me strong.  
  
You make me mad, you make me long for you.  
  
You make me live, you make me die.  
  
You make me laugh, you make me cry for you.  
  
I hate you, then I love you  
  
Then I love you, then I hate you  
  
Then I love you more.  
  
For whatever you do  
  
I never, never, never want to be in love with anyone but you.  
  
You treat me wrong, you treat me right.  
  
You let me be, you make me fight with you.  
  
You make me high, you bring me down,  
  
You set me free, you hold me bound to you.  
  
I hate you, then I love you  
  
Then I love you, then I hate you  
  
Then I love you more.  
  
For whatever you do  
  
I never, never, never want to be in love with anyone but you.  
  
Celine Dion - "I Hate You Then I Love You" 


	2. Rivals

Authors note: thank you "DarkFire", "Mary", "Hermione-Snape" and "Salma" for your four wonderful reviews. As you've all noticed I'm going to have a little lyrics in the end of my chapters....so enjoy and sing along and you better review if you wanna know what happens later on.  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter II : Rivals  
  
Ron, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Parvati were throwing disgusted looks at the hour-glasses that showed the housepoints in the Great Hall. They were ten points lower than they were about ten minutes ago.  
  
It seemed so much. It felt like they all had lost their appetite.  
  
"That greasy old git." Ron murmured disappointed.  
  
"Oh come on, we'll catch up with our triumphs." Harry peppered Ron.  
  
"It's a little pity to call Professor Snape old." Hermione spoke and all of them looked at as if she had some kind of mental illness.  
  
"I mean what can he be?" she asked with raised eyebrows.  
  
"He must be in his early thirties -"  
  
"And yet he behaves as if he were about fifty." Ron interrupted Parvati "I mean he removes points if Neville drops his pen."  
  
"You'll never forgive him for what he said about you in our second year here?" Hermione spoke.  
  
"Of course not" Ron's face started to turn red with anger " 'Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells, we'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox' I've never been so pissed off." Ron sighed.  
  
"Oh, get over it, you've got a new wand now." Harry tried to cheer him up.  
  
"You don't worry, we have Herbology after lunch and Professor Sprout is nice so I'll just answer correctly and we'll get some points back." Hermione said with her best 'Know it all'-voice.  
  
She looked over to the Slytherin-table and saw Draco who licked his mouth and winked at her. Disgusted she looked away.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Severus walked between the Gryffindor- and Ravenclaw-tables, he remembered Hermione's scent wen he had leaned down to her face, she smelled so lovely he got dizzy with his emotions.  
  
He saw her back at the Gryffindor-table and slowed down a little when he reached her spot. He inhaled her scent deeply, letting it intoxicate his brain and heart. One day he was going to confess his love for her. And just drive his nose in her hair and breath in that rose/strawberry/peach-smell.  
  
He walked up to the Head-table were he had a perfect view of Hermione's beautiful face.  
  
Then suddenly she looked away and faced the Slytherin-table, Severus followed her gace and it landed on Draco, who was flirting at her. He felt the anger boil up inside off him, he clenched his fists so his knuckles cracked a little.  
  
McGonagall looked confused at him.  
  
"Is something wrong, Severus?" she asked, concerned about the Potion Master. This last year he had seemed more sensitive then usual.  
  
"No, Minerva" he answered and the corners of his mouth turned upward in something that probably was a smile "why would anything be wrong?"  
  
McGonagall decided to be quiet the rest of the dinner. Severus was one of the most complicated men she had ever have the pleasure to meet. And being older than him and having worked longer at Hogwarts, she had always seen him like a son.  
  
Seeing that Malfoy-brat flirt with his Hermione was too much for him. Severus had this thing that when he found something that he liked or loved it was his and no one else's. He knew that it was both stupid and selfish, but he could be very jealous.  
  
And the thought of seeing someone else flirt with the love of his life was unacceptable.  
  
He saw how Hermione turned her face away from him and returned to her meal. Revealed he started to concentrate at his own.  
  
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"Something's wrong, Hermione?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Malfoy is flirting with me again."  
  
"Ignore him and he will stop." Parvati said.  
  
"Yeah right, that brat is stubborn as an ass" Ron spoke, still pissed about their loss of points.  
  
"No, really?" Harry asked with his eyebrows almost up in his fringe.  
  
They all five laughed together.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Draco turned his face down and sighed.  
  
"Flirting with Granger again?" Goyle smiled at him.  
  
"That's none of your business."  
  
"How come you like her so much? Before you detested her?" Crabbe asked.  
  
"I know, but that was before, now she's a hotty...my hotty." he said with big confidence.  
  
"Your hotty?" both said at the same time.  
  
"Yes, and no one is going to have her but me, understand?"  
  
"Sure, we don't care, but she detests you." Crabbe said with his mouth full.  
  
"Did your mum ever learned you not to talk with your mouth full?" Goyle said with a grin.  
  
"Shut up, both of you, I'll just have to light her fire."  
  
"Light her fire!" they both laughed out.  
  
"You won't even be able to open the matchbox." Goyle managed to say between the laughs.  
  
Draco grabbed both of them by their hair and they stopped to laugh.  
  
"Shut up, you're supposed to support me now, not make fun of me."  
  
"You have a very big confidence, you know that?" Crabbe said.  
  
"And you think that she is going to fall for you just like that?" Goyle asked "what if she already has a boyfriend?"  
  
"Come on, who would that be?"  
  
"Some guy" Crabbe said.  
  
"Oh, well done Crabbe, you know more than I thought." Draco said with sarcasm.  
  
"Come now, or else we'll be late for Herbology." Goyle said and they left the Great Hall.  
  
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"Today we are going to look a little bit closer at the Belladonna-plants, who can tell me about them?" Professor Sprout shouted out in the greenhouse.  
  
Hermione raised her hand in the air.  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger?"  
  
"Some people puts a pinch of Belladonna in their tea 'cause it's relaxing, but if you use too much you can die since it's very strong." she answered as correctly as if she had been reading out from a book.  
  
"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor."  
  
Hermione looked at Harry and Ron who were smiling at her.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Later in Potions class:  
  
As they worked with their potions Severus sat by his desk at the front and graded assignments from the second years Ravenclaw.  
  
He looked up and caught Draco licking his mouth at Hermione who didn't looked amused.  
  
"MISTER MALFOY!" he growled so all the students jumped out of their skin "has something special caught your eyes?"  
  
"Indeed, Professor" he responded and pouted with his lips to Hermione.  
  
Snape felt a volcano explode inside of him and moved in front of Draco.  
  
"You know I hate to do this, but I will have to remove points from Slytherin for rude behaviour in class."  
  
Draco opened his mouth to protest, but no sound escaped his lips.  
  
"Ten points from Slytherin and I trust you don't do that in my class again."  
  
Harry, Hermione and Ron were smiling.  
  
Hermione dropped her pen so it rolled in under the table, she held her breath as the little sound hit the ground.  
  
'Now he's going to remove points' she thought.  
  
She bent over to pick up the pen and Severus saw how Draco leaned back his chair so he could se her butt.  
  
Severus was going to burst if he didn't do anything.  
  
"Allow me, Miss Granger" he said and looked at Hermione's suddenly shocked face. Then at Draco who looked disappointed 'cause she leaned back against her chair.  
  
He climbed in under the table to find the pen. As his hand got the pen his eyes got her legs, they were so beautiful, so flawless, they looked so silky. How he wanted to run his hands over them, but couldn't.  
  
He sighed and stood up, giving Hermione her pen back.  
  
"There you go, Miss Granger"  
  
"Oh, thank you, Professor Snape" she was surprised that this greasy git could show some kindness at all.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Severus headed down to his dungeons.  
  
Entering his dungeons, the first thing you see is his office and all the jars with herbals, blood, oils and parts from animals bodies.  
  
And then there was the door to his so called home.  
  
He opened it and walked through the livingroom to the bedroom. It was beautifully furnished with a king-sized bed with black silk-sheets and thin black curtains surrounding it with silver-traces in them and dozens of big comfy pillows.  
  
Now he could only dream about the day when Hermione would be lying in that bed with him, making love to him, giving the last of her innocence to him.  
  
She would like it here, it was beautiful. The darkness gives shapes to your dreams and lets your fantasies grow. Like music.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Night-time sharpens,  
  
heightens each sensation . . .  
  
Darkness stirs and  
  
wakes imagination . . .  
  
Silently the senses  
  
abandon their defences . . .  
  
Slowly, gently  
  
night unfurls its splendour . . .  
  
Grasp it, sense it -  
  
tremulous and tender . . .  
  
Turn your face away  
  
from the garish light of day,  
  
turn your thoughts away  
  
from cold, unfeeling light -  
  
and listen to  
  
the music of the night . . .  
  
Close your eyes  
  
and surrender to your  
  
darkest dreams!  
  
Purge your thoughts  
  
of the life  
  
you knew before!  
  
Close your eyes,  
  
let your spirit  
  
start to soar!  
  
And you'll live  
  
as you've never  
  
lived before . . .  
  
Softly, deftly,  
  
music shall caress you . . .  
  
Feel it, hear it,  
  
secretly possess you. . .  
  
Open up your mind,  
  
let your fantasies unwind,  
  
in this darkness which  
  
you know you cannot fight -  
  
the darkness of  
  
the music of the night . . .  
  
Let your mind  
  
start a journey through a  
  
strange new world!  
  
Leave all thoughts  
  
of the world  
  
you knew before!  
  
Let your soul  
  
Take you where you  
  
long to be !  
  
Only then  
  
can you belong  
  
to me . . .  
  
Floating, falling,  
  
sweet intoxication!  
  
Touch me, trust me  
  
savour each sensation!  
  
Let the dream begin,  
  
let your darker side give in  
  
to the power of the music that I write -  
  
the power of the music of the night . . .  
  
You alone can make my song take flight -  
  
help me make the music of the night . . .  
  
Michael Crawford - "The music of the night"  
  
From Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical "The phantom of the opera" 


	3. Quidditch and roses

Authors note: Sorry it took so long, thank you for the wonderful reviews, I love them all. Here is chapter three................................enjoy........=)  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter III : Quidditch and roses  
  
It was the first quidditch-game for the season: Slytherin vs Hufflepuff.  
  
Even though Hermione, Harry and Ron knew that every student home that played against Slytherin was doomed to lose, they cheered for Hufflepuff.  
  
"Another ten points for Slytherin" Lee Jordan said, trying to fight the urge to shout out that it was against the rules that they got those ten points................. and all the other points "who leads with 60 to 10."  
  
"Poor Hufflepuff, they are never going to win" Hermione sighed.  
  
"Not with that Malfoy-prick as a seeker." Ron mumbled and at that moment the Slytherin scored again.  
  
"Everybody now" Harry said. "One, two, three"  
  
Everybody: "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
In the Slytherin tower, Severus was enjoying the game since his house was without any doubt going to win.  
  
He was sitting next to Lucius Malfoy, who was holding a pair of binoculars to his eyes.  
  
'Being proud of his blonde brat of a son' Severus thought, he had got negative thoughts lately about Draco because of his flirting with Hermione.  
  
'Where is that girl anyway' he thought and looked away to the stadium, trying to see her in the crowd, which was almost impossible.  
  
He looked at Lucius, then at the binoculars in his lap.  
  
"Can I borrow these?" he asked, Lucius only nodded.  
  
He lifted them to his eyes and spotted her in the audience. She was so beautiful. The wind was playing with her long hair and the sun gave her brown eyes gold reflexes, she was shining in her young beauty. He licked his lips, savouring the image of her.  
  
"DRACO MALFOY HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!!"  
  
Severus jerked out of his daydreaming as Lee Jordan shouted.  
  
"Slytherin wins!" Madame Hooch said and blew the whistle.  
  
Severus was of course pleased that his house had won. So instead of smiling, he stretched on the sides of his mouth but his eyes remained unmoved.  
  
Lucius was proud of his son and smiled.  
  
Draco was floating around on his broomstick, waving with the snitch in his hand. Suddenly he stopped by the Gryffindors, right in front of Hermione and smiled at her.  
  
Severus saw everything and was so angry that it was a miracle that there wasn't any smoke coming out of his ears.  
  
"The hero of the game always deserves a kiss from the lady of his heart" Draco said to Hermione.  
  
"What?" Hermione looked at him as if he was stupid.  
  
"What kind of a hero are you?" Harry asked "You are cheating all the time."  
  
"Shut up, Potter!" Draco growled, then turned his attention to Hermione.  
  
"Come here." Draco smiled and reached out his hand for Hermione.  
  
"You wish." she answered.  
  
"Leave her be, Malfoy." Ron said.  
  
Draco grabbed Hermione by her robes and pulled her up on his broomstick so she was sitting opposite him. His right arm was around her waist and his left hand caressed her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were so soft and warm. He had always dreamed about kissing her and have her for his own. His hand moved from her cheek to her hair and then joined his other hand around her waist.  
  
Hermiones eyes were wide open, she was disgusted, but it was a nice kiss. Then she leaned into him and responded. She placed a hand on his shoulder and accepted the kiss, but not with her heart.  
  
All the other students said a long "Aaaawwwwwww!" together, except the Gryffindors.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle were whistling and applauding.  
  
As the spoiled brat Malfoy was he saw her now as his property, he gently pulled away from her and said with big confidence: "You're mine now and you better not make out with anyone else."  
  
"Fuck y-" Hermione couldn't finish her sentence 'cause he pressed his lips to her again and this time she wasn't giving in, she struggled and never closed her eyes, she tried to pull away from him, but he was to strong. She couldn't do anything.  
  
Severus saw everything and clenched both his fists and his teeth, otherwise he would be running out on the ground, screaming and trying to struggle Draco. That brat was touching and kissing the woman he loved! He knew that there were many boys who had feelings for Hermione, but they were to chicken to admit it. He was about to loose his temper. To see a woman that you love more than anything and at the same time see her in the arms of someone else is a nightmare.  
  
"But what is this?" Lucius smiled.  
  
"I think your son is in love." Severus answered with his teeth still clenched.  
  
"My Draco, in love?" Lucius took the binoculars from Severus to look closer at Hermione.  
  
"Such a beautiful, little girl. What's her name?"  
  
"Hermione Granger." Severus voice caressed the beloved name.  
  
"How are her grades?"  
  
"The best ones in school." Severus said and looked down on his shoes, he couldn't stand to see it.  
  
"She will be a good wife for my son then, when they are graduated."  
  
This made Severus head pop up from the ground 'NO WAY!!! Not as long as I live, if anyone is going to marry that girl when she graduates it's gonna be me!' his mind growled.  
  
"She's a muggleborn and a Gryffindor" he said, he knew Lucius hated muggles and Gryffindors.  
  
"Well, as long as my son is happy" he answered with his brows pulled together.  
  
Severus looked back at his love and Draco who was still on the broomstick. He couldn't stand it any longer. Without anyone seeing it he pulled out his wand from his robes.  
  
"Rictusempra." He whispered and a faint light came out from the wand and landed on Draco and Hermione. Both of them flew of the broomstick and screamed.  
  
Draco hit the ground, but before Hermione did it Severus whispered "Wingardium leviosa" and she gently floated down to the ground.  
  
Then she ran away from Draco and the arena.  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
After about half an hour in the bathroom, gargling water mixed with toothpaste, Hermione headed to the Gryffindor tower. Being a Head-Girl gave her a room of her own. She collapsed on the bed and the tears started to fall. She was really supposed to have Potions in the dungeons now, but she just wanted to stay in her room and cry.  
  
Severus had heard that Draco had been brought to the hospital wing, because his leg had broken after that nasty fall. Which was some sort of relief to him, because now Draco couldn't flirt with Hermione.  
  
As he entered his classroom he was as mean as usual.  
  
"Okay, thickheads, I expect that you all have been reading the notes we made last week so who can tell me the ingredients to the lavonia-potion?" he asked and no hand was visible in the air.  
  
'Odd' he thought, normally Hermione would always...................where was Hermione?  
  
"Potter! Weasley!" he growled both of them looked up from the tables.  
  
"Yes, sir." they both answered as if they were in some sort of military- school.  
  
"Were is Miss Granger?" he asked.  
  
"We don't know, we haven't seen her since she ran off from the quidditch game this morning." Harry said.  
  
"Maybe Malfoy scared her off." Ron joked and all the other giggled.  
  
"Silence!" Snape growled.  
  
"You better find her after this lesson, and tell her the homework for tomorrow." With that he started the lesson. He wondered all the time were Hermione could be, she couldn't possibly be in the hospital wing, comforting Draco.  
  
She didn't came to the Great Hall at lunch either.  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
Severus walked down to his dungeons after his final lesson for the day. He was going to find Hermione.  
  
He took a very big, golden goblet from one of his racks and filled it with unicorn blood, then he took the glass from a pocket mirror, cracked the glass and put it in the goblet. He mixed it.  
  
"Montraro Hermione Granger." And because of the silver in the unicorn blood and the reflection from the mirror Hermione's image became visible in the goblet.  
  
Severus looked at her. She was in her room, lying on the bed, crying. Someone knocked at her door, she didn't answer. Severus saw how Harry and Ron came into the room, they both sat down on the bed.  
  
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked and she sat up.  
  
"How could I be so stupid?" she said "How could I just let him kiss me, I hate him more than anything and I let him kiss me! And I didn't do anything to stop him, I just let him use me like a pet" she sobbed and Harry and Ron hugged her.  
  
"I'm not as intelligent as I may seem, the fact is that I'm a ugly, annoying idiot!" she cried heavier.  
  
Severus eyes started to fill with tears, she was nothing of that, she was the most beautiful thing in the world, she was not annoying (well, only sometimes) and she was definitely not an idiot. She was a genius and she was the object of his heart's greatest desire.  
  
Severus blinked back the tears, not allowing them to fall.  
  
"No, Hermione. I think you are making a hen out of a feather, Malfoy wouldn't be kissing you if he thought you were ugly." Harry said.  
  
"Did you hear what he said to me?" she asked "That he owns me, like a toy."  
  
"But you know he doesn't, Malfoy doesn't even have the right to touch you, don't you care about it one bit." Harry said.  
  
"Yeah, that brat is in the hospital wing right now, anyway, thank God you didn't hit the ground." Ron said.  
  
"Yeah, who was it that saved me?" she asked.  
  
Severus held his breath.  
  
"I don't know, I didn't see anything." Harry said.  
  
"Well, whoever it was I'm forever grateful for him." Hermione said.  
  
This made Severus smile.  
  
Hermione smiled and wiped her tears with the sleeve of her robes, then hugged them at the same time.  
  
"I love you guys." she said "I'm hungry, I didn't get any lunch."  
  
"You can join us for supper in the common room." Ron said.  
  
Hermione nodded and they had tea and croissants in the common room.  
  
Severus smiled.  
  
She was all right now.  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
Hermione walked into her room again after the supper.  
  
On her bed table there was a letter and a red rose.  
  
She frowned and opened the letter.  
  
It was a nice letter, she read it a few times, it was signed 'Your D.P.M'  
  
"D.P.M" she muttered. Then she pulled out the house list for Slytherin. Being a Head Girl she had to know most of the names at Hogwarts. She found out that Dracos middle name was Patrick so it was all clear. D.P.M - Draco Patrick Malfoy.  
  
She threw the letter and the rose in the waste paper basket and went to her bathroom to prepare for the night.  
  
When she came out in her night gown, she saw that the letter was back on her bed table and the rose was in a crystal-vase, but the rose's petals were black instead of red and the stem was silver white.  
  
She took it and threw it again but it flew up from the waste paper basket and landed in the vase again.  
  
'This can't be good' she thought. But she was to tired to bother.  
  
She went to bed and slept.  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
Down in the dungeons Severus saw what she did in the goblet.  
  
He kissed his forefinger and gently touched the water with it.  
  
"Good night, my love" he said and he himself went to sleep.  
  
One thing she didn't know was that the letter and the rose was from him and 'Your D.P.M' stood for 'Your dreaded potions master'.  
  
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*  
  
Severus letter to Hermione:  
  
If you can depend  
  
On certainty  
  
Count it out and weigh it up again  
  
You can be sure  
  
You've reached the end  
  
And still you don't feel  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
You are, yes you are, yes you are  
  
If you can ignore  
  
What you've become  
  
Take it out and see it die again  
  
You can be here  
  
For who's a friend  
  
And still you don't feel  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
You are, yes you are, yes you are  
  
Innermost thoughts  
  
Will be understood and  
  
You can have all you need  
  
Do you know, you're beautiful, do you know  
  
About anything  
  
Do you know, you're beautiful, do you know  
  
About anyone  
  
Do you know you're beautiful  
  
You are, yes you are, yes you are  
  
Sarah Brightman - "Beautiful" 


	4. Love or Hate, Life or Death

Authors note: Sorry you had to wait so long, but I've been busy, thank you for the wonderful reviews. You guys are so sweet =).....roses to all who reviewed...........@------ .............Snowstar.........enjoy............=)  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter IV : Love or Hate, Life or Death  
  
Hermione got roses all the time, they popped up everywhere. In her bookbag, in the pockets of her robe, under the pillow in her bed, sometimes even in her schoolbooks.  
  
Once while she was having potions, her cauldron was filled with roses with a rustling noise. Everyone's eyes landed on her, even Professor Snapes'.  
  
Hermione had been holding her breath.  
  
"Miss Granger, this is not Herbology, please remove the roses", he said, and that was all.  
  
Hermione gathered them and threw them into the waste-paper basket again.  
  
Severus saw what she did, and when the class was over he changed the red roses into black ones with silver stems. Then he made them disappear and made sure they landed in the crystal vase in her room.  
  
Severus knew that Hermione had thrown every flower he had given her, but he had brought them all back. And now she should have about forty-fifty.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Later in the Gryffindor common room:  
  
"Where did those come from?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I've been receiving roses since the quidditch match last week, and throwing them does not seem to help" Hermione sighed.  
  
"How romantic" Parvati smiled.  
  
"It's not romantic, it's annoying" Hermione said.  
  
"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Parvati asked.  
  
"First I thought it was Draco, because the first rose I got came along with a letter that was signed D.P.M"  
  
"D.P.M?" Ginny and Parvati said at the same time.  
  
"Yeah, and Draco's middle name is Patrick, it seemed to fit, but I remembered later that Draco is at the hospital wing and considering what the letter said it couldn't be Draco, he is not that smart."  
  
"You said that you had thrown the roses away" Ginny said.  
  
"Yes, but they come back and they have other colours, the petals are black and the stems are silver white, they almost look dangerous. And no matter how much I throw them away they always come back. I even once burned them by the lake, but when I returned to my room they where there as if they'd never left their spot. It's just like that letter history Harry told us when his uncle and aunt wouldn't let him come here."  
  
"Freaky" Parvati sounded excited.  
  
"I say" Ginny added.  
  
"And I have no clue who it is that keeps sending me those damn roses!"  
  
"Calm down, will you" Ginny said and patted Hermiones' shoulder "We'll help you, but it will be hard, because there are many boys that like you, Hermione" she added.  
  
"I'm so tired of boys, you know the worlds most sex-obsessed thing is a man's brain" Hermione said.  
  
Ginny and Parvati burst out laughing.  
  
"That's it!" Hermione wailed, took two big pillows and nailed Ginny and Parvati with them.  
  
"PILLOW FIGHT!" they all yelled together and feathers were flying everywhere.  
  
After about an hour they were exhausted. They looked around at the feathers that flew in the air like snow.  
  
"Whoops" Ginny said.  
  
Hermione pulled out her wand.  
  
"Aziepmil" she said and the feathers collected each other to two big clouds that was floating in the air.  
  
"Swollip reparo" she added and the feathers flew back into the pillows.  
  
Parvati glanced at the big clock.  
  
"Lunch time" she cheered and the three of them went to the Great Hall.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Once they sat down in the Great Hall, Hermione peeked over at the Slytherin table.  
  
Draco was back from the hospital wing.  
  
"Damn" she muttered.  
  
Harry, Ron, Parvati and Ginny followed her gaze.  
  
"Don't worry about it, ignore him" Harry said.  
  
Hermione saw, before she concentrated at her food, how Draco winked at her.  
  
But she was not the only one who saw it.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Severus sat, as usual, at the head table and glanced at Hermione a little. Then he followed her gaze just to see Draco flirting with her...........again.  
  
'She will be a good wife for my son'. The words that Lucius had spoken echoed in his mind. He knew that the Malfoy-name had to carry on, so Draco had to marry someone when he graduated.  
  
Severus had always been very jealous.  
  
Hermione stood up and left the Great Hall before the others.  
  
Severus started to leave his seat.  
  
"Severus, are you leaving already?" Albus asked.  
  
"Yes, I have to...to prepare for my next lesson" he stuttered.  
  
Albus just nodded, although Severus was one of those people who first left the table, but not this early.  
  
McGonagall laid a hand over Albus's.  
  
"I think something has happened to Severus" she said softly.  
  
"I hope it's not serious" Albus answered.  
  
"No, no, dear Albus, isn't it obvious?"  
  
Albus looked, for the first time in many years, confused.  
  
"Severus is in love" Minerva smiled.  
  
It twinkled in Dumbledores eyes and she smiled and chuckled a little.  
  
"Dare I ask with whom?" he said.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think it is Miss Granger. Amazing isn't it?"  
  
"No, I always knew that someday he would find someone, even Severus has been looking in the Erised-mirror, Minerva."  
  
Minerva just smiled.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Hermione left the Great Hall before the others for two reasons:  
  
1: She couldn't stand to see Draco blink his eye in her direction once more.  
  
2: Whenever she got a chance she went to the library, so this gave her some time to prepare for the DADA class she had in an hour.  
  
She sat down at a table and opened her book. No rose this time.  
  
'Thank God' she thought and started to read, unaware of the tall, dark silhouette that was standing by the bookshelf behind her back.  
  
Severus was admiring her with his eyes. Such an exquisite creature. Her body, her mind, her eyes, her entire being was the oxygen for the love he felt for her.  
  
It was quite hot in the library, so Hermione loosened her tie a little and unbuttoned the top-button in her blouse.  
  
Severus eyes widened. He leaned closer to the shelf . And without noticing it a few books fell down from the shelf.  
  
He woke up from his daydreaming when the books hit the floor.  
  
He held his breath and Hermiones' head popped up at the sound.  
  
Severus ran off and hid himself behind another shelf.  
  
Hermione looked around, but saw nobody. She gathered the books and placed them back on the shelves. She looked at the clock and started to walk out from the library.  
  
Severus followed her out from the library and down the corridor, making sure she didn't notice him.  
  
Then, when she turned around another corner, a thing that came faster than a golden snitch caught her and pressed her up against the wall.  
  
Before Hermione could scream or make any noise at all a hand covered her mouth. And she looked up in Draco's green eyes.  
  
"Missed me, babe?" he asked and started to pull her clothes.  
  
Hermione started to struggle and fight against him. She managed to kick him at his leg, but he didn't let go of her for that. Tears started to fill her eyes and she felt his hand come up under her skirt. She struggled all she could, but he only held her tighter.  
  
But he froze when he heard a sound behind him.  
  
Severus exposed himself from the corner, and before Draco could see who it was behind him he threw Hermione to the ground so she hit her head against the stone-floor.  
  
Severus ran towards her. She was unconscious, but she was alive. Her forehead had a lump and her temple was bleeding. Her beautiful face was bleeding too.  
  
"Oh, dear" he murmured, her robe was torn apart, he pulled of his own and wrapped her up in it.  
  
"Fifty points from Slytherin" he murmured later.  
  
He lifted her light, little body in his arms and started to walk to the hospital wing.  
  
Since he couldn't open the door to the hospital wing he kicked it up.  
  
"Professor Snape" Madame Pomfrey said in a very stern voice "Who taught you to open a door - oh dear, what has happened to Miss Granger?" she said with more concern in her voice.  
  
"She almost got raped in one of the corridors" he answered.  
  
"Oh lord, by who?" she asked.  
  
When Severus didn't answer it became clear to her.  
  
"I take it, it was a student from your own house."  
  
Severus looked at her and only nodded.  
  
"Anyway, come over here and lay her down on the bed" she ordered.  
  
Snape did as she said and took his robe from Hermione. Poppy started to clean the cut that was bleeding from her temple. It wasn't a big cut, but even the tiniest wounds can bleed like hell. She also had a lump on her forehead and a spot that was going to become a bruise.  
  
"Stay with her here, I have to go to her room and get her night gown" Poppy said, Severus only nodded.  
  
"And hold this to her temple. I will be back in a second" she said and gave him a moisten tissue, then she walked over to the fireplace and took out some floo powder.  
  
"The head girl room" she said very clearly and disappeared.  
  
Severus looked at Hermione, he sat down at the bedside and held the tissue to her temple. This wasn't what she was supposed to do, she wasn't supposed to lie in the hospital wing unconscious, she was supposed to walk on her legs and annoy everyone with her intelligence.  
  
As his left hand held the tissue to her temple, the other started to move. First he touched her cheek and gasped at the softness, then he took her hand in his very gently. It was as soft as her cheek. If her skin was this soft, then how soft would her lips be? Oh, to just feel that softness against his lips. He started to move her hand towards his lips. It came closer and closer and he could smell the perfume that came from her wrist.  
  
He inhaled, so lovely. But just as his lips was going to caress her hand a burning sound came from the fireplace.  
  
Poppy was back with a very beautiful silk negligee and a dressing-gown in the same fabric.  
  
"I'm sure she had something with more material, but this was all I could find."  
  
Severus laid Hermiones' hand down, quickly but gently.  
  
"Severus, you have to excuse me now" she said and brought the drapes around the bed, she had to take of Hermione's destroyed clothes and put on the bed clothes.  
  
Then she pulled the drapes back and Severus's eyes widened a little, the negligee was moulded to her figure, the dressing-gown was lying by her feet. She looked like an angel, the only thing that destroyed everything was the cut at her temple.  
  
Poppy started to bind up a bandage around her head.  
  
"Stay with her here, Severus, I have to get Dumbledore. And please talk to her, she will wake up faster if she hears someone's voice". Then she was off.  
  
Severus looked at Hermione in silence for a few seconds.  
  
"Hermione" he said in his silky voice "Everything will be fine, soon you will be back to normal."  
  
He took her hand again, and he remembered that he had been disturbed the first time he was going to kiss it. He gently took it again and moved it to his lips.  
  
"She is right here" he heard Poppy say.  
  
He brought Hermione's hand down again and sighed. He turned around and saw Poppy, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Ginny, Parvati, Harry and Ron running in to the bed were Hermione was.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked.  
  
"Someone tried to rape her in the corridor" Poppy said.  
  
"Do you know who?" McGonagall asked.  
  
"I bet it was someone from Slytherin" Ron said with big confidence.  
  
Severus head was flying in every direction, everybody was talking at the same time.  
  
"Give her this when she wakes up" Sprout said and gave Severus a little bag.  
  
"What is it?" he asked  
  
"Belladonna, put a pinch of it, ONLY A PINCH if you want her to live, in her tea. It will help her relax and absorb her strength.  
  
"All of you out. You too, Poppy" Dumbledore said "I want a word with Severus."  
  
Everybody went out and Albus sat down on a chair next to Severus.  
  
"You know who did this, don't you?"  
  
Severus only nodded.  
  
"Tell me who."  
  
When Severus didn't say anything, Albus lost his temper.  
  
"Severus" he said in a stern voice.  
  
"Malfoy" Severus murmured.  
  
"Have you done something about it?"  
  
"I have already removed fifty points from Slytherin."  
  
Albus only nodded.  
  
"Go back to your dungeons and take a shower, get freshened up and come back here later. I want you to protect and watch over Miss Granger. I'm letting you do this because I know no other teacher that can stay up in the night as long as you can. I will take over your lessons until she is recovered."  
  
Severus didn't deny Dumbledore anything, so he went down to his dungeons.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Come out, moon.  
  
Come out, wishing star.  
  
Come out, come out.  
  
Wherever you are.  
  
I'm out here in the dark, all alone and wide awake,  
  
Come and find me.  
  
I'm empty and I'm cold and my heart's about to break,  
  
Come and find me  
  
I need you to come here and find me,  
  
Cause without you I'm totally lost.  
  
I've hung a wish on every star,  
  
It hasn't done much good so far.  
  
I can only dream of you  
  
Wherever you are.  
  
But when the morning comes and the sun begins to rise  
  
I will lose you.  
  
Because it's just a dream, when I open up my eyes  
  
I will lose you.  
  
I used to believe in forever,  
  
But forever's too good to be true  
  
I've hung a wish on every star,  
  
It hasn't done much good so far.  
  
I can only dream of you  
  
Wherever you are  
  
I hear you laugh, I see you smile  
  
I'll be with you just for a while.  
  
I used to believe in forever,  
  
But forever's too good to be true.  
  
I've hung a wish on every star  
  
It hasn't done much good so far.  
  
I don't know what else to do  
  
Except to try and dream of you  
  
And wonder if you're dreaming too  
  
Wherever you are.  
  
Wherever you are.  
  
"Wherever You Are" - Vonda Shepard 


	5. That Something Like This Can Happen, and...

Authors note: So sorry you had to wait but I have been on a little vacation in Greece, but now I'm home and here comes the next chapter.......................enjoy.  
  
*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter V : That Something Like This can Happen and Why?  
  
Severus went down to his dungeons and started to fresh up.  
  
He was considering his new job (if you can call it that). To watch over Hermione. He didn't mind, it would be great. But to sit and watch her beautiful features and fight the urge to just ravish her on the spot would be the most difficult thing he had ever experienced.  
  
It became very clear to him that this was going to be a tough challenge.  
  
He started to walk up to the hospital wing again, it was about nine in the evening. He opened the doors just to find only Hermione in the room, lying on the same place as he had left her, still unconscious.  
  
He pulled out a chair and sat down next to her bed. She looked so peaceful and calm, her breathing was also very calm and silent, that was a sign that she felt safe.  
  
"Hermione, I know this is awful right now, but I know you're strong and I know that you are going to get out of that bed and...'Drive me insane with desire'. He was thinking the last words.  
  
"I know that you have been in trouble lately, I know that your father died during the fall of Voldemort. And how long it took for you to get over it." He thought back at the time when the war had started, how she and her mother had leaned over her fathers dead body and cried their hearts out to him.  
  
"But we can't change the past even if we want to, Hermione". He started to get sick by the sight of her lying there unconscious.  
  
"Open your eyes, Hermione, please I want you to open your eyes, please I want you to open your eyes, come on now and open your eyes". But they remained closed. But she breathed.  
  
Her breath landed on his face, and he could smell her, so sweet. He looked at her and timidly first but then, with growing boldness, he took a lock from her hair in his hand. It was as soft as velvet. He leaned down to her and buried his face in the piece of her hair that was lying at his side. Her scent was intoxicating, it travelled from his nose up to his brain were it made him dizzy in a wonderful way, then it shoot down his spine and warmed his heart. His senses were full of her.  
  
Once again he saw her hand, her little white hand with the colour of the feathers of a swan. He took it in his own large. It was so light and it looked so innocent, the hands of a human is a beautiful instrument. They feel you and caresse you in a way that can mean so much. The gentle touch of a mothers hand or the soft stroking from the one you love.  
  
Lost in his thoughts he gently lifted her hand to his lips, it came closer and closer. At last his lips touched the smooth, white skin. And his heart and his entire world started to spin. It was so soft, he loved what it was doing to him. Removing it from his lips he opened her palm and laid it against his cheek. He felt the desire to kiss her more and more, all over her beautiful body, but he couldn't. A kiss on the forehead couldn't be bad, but she was hurt at that place. Instead he leaned down to her face and gently brushed his lips against her cheek. It was so much softer than her hand. It was cream white with little blush on it, almost like a peach.  
  
It started to get late, but he had promised to watch over her, so he took place in a big comfy chair a bit away from her bed. He didn't trust himself so close against her, perhaps he would run mad and go far more than he had just done. He sat down looking at her silhouette in the bed. It was past midnight and he could barely keep his eyes open any longer, so he decided to doze himself to sleep.  
  
The darkness fell over Hogwarts, the only thing you could see in the Hospital wing were the shiny white fabric from the sheets in the beds and Hermiones silk-white negligee. You couldn't see Severus that much because of his dark clothes and his head was hanging forward, so his black hair covered his face. So he was completely black.  
  
It was about three in the night, both Hermione and Severus were sleeping deeply. Without hearing the little whimper the door made when it was opened. And a quite tall figure in a black student robe with very blonde hair entered the hospital wing..........  
  
Draco made his way over to Hermione in her bed. He sat down on it and pulled back the covers before straddling her and starting to pull in her negligee.  
  
Hermione was dreaming that a big black angel was flying down to her, the gloria was shining around his head. But suddenly the gloria disappeared and two red horns grew out from his forehead. And it touched her in a very uncomfortable way, pulling in her clothes. It felt so real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hermiones eyes shot up like rockets and she saw Draco over her, trying to pull her skirt up from her legs and Hermione knew what was going to happen. She started to whimper and tried to fight against him but she was still very weak. She struggled all she could and she started to scream, tears started to run down her checks.  
  
"If you just shut up and be still it will be much easier" but she didn't obey him and he kissed her so she would stop scream. He kissed her so hard her lips started to bleed. She was scared to death. She felt how his hands started to move down her body and down between her legs.  
  
Fear struck her and she reached down and held hard onto her panties. He leaned down to her neck and sucked so hard it was painful. She screamed so high her throat became soar.  
  
*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
Severus slept with images of Hermione running around in his head, she smiled and her eyes were twinkling. But suddenly a shadow fell over her, her eyes started to fill with tears and fright started to wash over her face. And finally she screamed so high it woke Severus up from his sleep. He jumped up from the chair and stood poker-straight. Looking at Hermiones bed, he saw a black figure over her, torturing her. When he saw who it was, anger struck him.  
  
The first night and things already starts to happen.  
  
He ran over to the bed and pulled Draco of Hermione. He opened the door and threw Draco out like a bag of trash.  
  
Draco only saw a big dark shadow in front of him, he couldn't identify who it was that had pulled him from Hermione. Before he could say anything the shadow hissed.  
  
"Leave her alone, she belongs to me, and no one is taking her away from me". With that he closed the door right in the face at Draco.  
  
He walked over to Hermione, who was lying there sobbing. Her beautiful lips were bleeding. She was so exhausted she fell back in sleep. She couldn't do anything more.  
  
Severus pulled out a handkerchief and started to wipe away the blood from her mouth and the tears from her face.  
  
"That something like this can happen and why?" he asked out in the air.  
  
He looked down at her. Why her, why did she have to stand all this pain?  
  
He looked out through the window and saw the moon throwing its silver light at them.  
  
"You are not safe here" he said, and without doubting it he picked her up from the bed, wrapping the sheet around her and went with her down to his dungeons.  
  
As he walked through the corridors, her head was lying against his shoulder and he leaned his cheek onto her head, feeling her soft hair. He was her protector.  
  
Down in his dungeons he laid her down on his big bed and pulled the black silk sheet over her.  
  
"Don't worry, you're safe now, no one is going to take you away from me........not even death."  
  
*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
Two days passed and no Hermione was to be seen, not even in the hospital wing. Severus was also gone, he wasn't sitting at the high table at dinner and he wasn't in the hospital wing either.  
  
"Where can he be?" Minerva asked.  
  
"Don't worry, I think I know where he is" Dumbledore said before heading down to the dungeons.  
  
*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
Severus was sitting by the bed where Hermione was still sleeping from the night when she had been attacked.  
  
He held her hand and gently hummed to her with his soft voice. Normally he would never hum, but it was for her. She must be exhausted, poor thing, he thought.  
  
Someone knocked at his door. He laid her hand down and walked out from the bedroom to open.  
  
He opened the door to see the headmaster standing outside.  
  
"Headmaster" he said.  
  
"Severus" Dumbledore answered "she is here, isn't she?" he asked, Severus only nodded.  
  
They both walked in to the bedroom. Hermione was lying with her back to them, they could only see her hair.  
  
"Severus, I know" Albus said.  
  
"Know what?" Snape answered.  
  
Albus went forward to his potions master and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"What happened in the hospital wing" Severus couldn't do anything more than nod.  
  
"And that you love her"  
  
Severus froze and looked at him.  
  
"Don't you?" Albus asked.  
  
Severus sighed and confessed it for the first time ever.  
  
"Yes, headmaster, I love her more than anything I have ever loved"  
  
Severus confessed everything to Albus, without knowing that Hermione was lying in the bed with her back at them........................................fully awake.  
  
*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*  
  
Who can say for certain  
  
Maybe you're still here  
  
I feel you all around me  
  
Your memories so clear  
  
Deep in the stillness  
  
I can hear you speak  
  
You're still an inspiration  
  
Can it be?  
  
That you are mine  
  
Forever love  
  
And you are watching over me from up above  
  
Fly me up to where you are  
  
Beyond the distant star  
  
I wish upon tonight  
  
To see you smile  
  
If only for a while to know you're there  
  
A breath away's not far  
  
To where you are  
  
Are you gently sleeping  
  
Here inside my dream  
  
And isn't faith believing  
  
All power can't be seen  
  
As my heart holds you  
  
Just one beat away  
  
I cherish all you gave me everyday  
  
'Cause you are mine  
  
Forever love  
  
Watching me from up above  
  
And I believe  
  
That angels breathe  
  
And that love will live on and never leave  
  
Fly me up  
  
To where you are  
  
Beyond the distant star  
  
I wish upon tonight  
  
To see you smile  
  
If only for awhile  
  
To know you're there  
  
A breath away's not far  
  
To where you are  
  
I know you're there  
  
A breath away's not far  
  
To where you are  
  
"To where you are" - Josh Groban 


	6. The Truth Comes Out

Authors note: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. And no, I haven't had a lack of inspiration, it's just that when a cliff-hanger like this happens I have to be extra careful so you all can be satisfied. Well, here is chapter six..........enjoy.  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter VI : The Truth Comes Out  
  
"Severus, let's talk about this over some tea" Albus said and went out with Severus to the living room.  
  
When they shut the bedroom-door behind them, Hermione got up from the bed very quietly and opened the door a little, peeking out. She saw her Potions professor and her Headmaster sitting in a chair each, drinking tea.  
  
"I know that you have been very concerned about her lately, you have been following her around over the entire school, spying on her."  
  
Severus only nodded and kept his eyes on the steam that was soaring up from his tea.  
  
"I take it, it was also you who saved her from falling during the quidditch-match last week?"  
  
"Yes, and yes, it was also I who made Malfoy fall down from his broom."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened, her bastard of a Potions teacher had saved her life and was in love with her.  
  
"Please, Severus, will you let me know the entire story?" Albus said patiently and crossed his leg with the other, knowing this would take a long time.  
  
Hermione's heart started to beat, now the truth was going to come out.  
  
Severus sighed and pulled his fingers through his hair.  
  
"It all began the day before she started her first year here, when we still had that damn mirror. You told me that you were going to put it away, and before you did, I looked into it"  
  
He stopped.  
  
"And?" Albus asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"And her image appeared. Of course I didn't know who she was until the next day when she was sorted to Gryffindor, it was quite a shock for me."  
  
Hermione felt how her throat tightened and how she started to tremble behind the door.  
  
"I didn't know how she could be my hearts' greatest desire when all she did was annoy me."  
  
"Go on, son" Albus said with the softness of a grandfather in his voice.  
  
"I didn't feel anything for her until the day when her sixth year came. When she walked in to the Great Hall she was mesmerising, she was so beautiful, and I felt an ache in my heart that I have never felt before, an obsession to have this lovely creature to myself."  
  
A smile started to brighten up Albus face.  
  
"You know how possessive I am?" Severus asked.  
  
Albus only nodded.  
  
"Have you ever loved a woman so much that you would give her the moon if she asked you to? Have you ever loved a woman so much you can see your unborn children in her eyes?"  
  
Hermione caught her breath at this point.  
  
"I feel so much, she is not a girl anymore, she is a woman" he sighed and lowered his face "Oh, Albus she is so beautiful, not only on the outside, but on her inside as well She is so intelligent, she is everything I have ever wanted."  
  
The smile on Albus face had been replaced by an express of shock. He had never known that his cold-hearted potions master was capable of using such wonderful words.  
  
"And her scent, her hair, her eyes, her lips, her smile it is driving me mad, Albus"  
  
Albus mouth had now started to open as much as Hermione's had.  
  
"And then that Malfoy-brat came into the situation with his ridiculous puppy-love. I can't stand it, it's like looking at a snail, crawling on a rose. It destroys the entire beauty of her. I mean look at her, Albus, she is lying in that bed when she should be up and laugh in the light with her friends!"  
  
"Severus, boy, calm down" Albus said and tried to place a hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged away from.  
  
Severus flew up from the chair.  
  
"How can I calm down, I love her!! She is the only one I have ever loved and I have to walk around pretending like nothing is going on while this incredible desire is tearing me apart!" he screamed in pure pain.  
  
Hermione's eyes started to fill with tears.  
  
Albus placed his arms around him and he calmed down a little.  
  
"There, there, boy. Breathe, Severus, breathe."  
  
"I have been sending her these roses about ten times a day" he said and sat down again "but she doesn't know that they're from me."  
  
Hermione's hand flew up to her mouth to hold back her gasp, her eyes widened so much they might as well just pop out from their sockets. All those roses, all those wonderful roses, they were from him all the time.  
  
"I know you have been sending her those, your signature on that note was a clever one to" Albus smiled.  
  
"What?" Severus asked.  
  
"Your D.P.M 'your dreaded potions master' very clever."  
  
Hermione's tears ran down her cheeks as the truth stood naked before her. It was Snape, one of the men she hated more than anything. This stone hearted, over-grown bat had turned into pure Don Juan or Romeo. She closed the door behind her silently and went back to the bed. She dried her tears with the back of her hands and thought about the entire thing. She didn't love him, it was as simple as that, she didn't love. Now she was scared of him, that burning passion of his was frightening her as much as those black roses had.  
  
What was she going to do?  
  
She looked out through the enchanted window, the sky was blue.  
  
"Help me" she said to the sky where she was sure that her father was looking down at her. He had died in an car-accident two years ago.  
  
She fell asleep again, not hearing when Severus entered the room. He went over to her and gently stroke her hair, so tenderly.  
  
"Soon, my love, soon you will know" he said.  
  
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To really love a woman  
  
To understand her, you got to know her deep inside  
  
Hear every thought, see every dream  
  
And give her wings when she wants to fly  
  
And when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms  
  
You know you really love a woman.  
  
When you love a woman,  
  
You tell her that she's really wanted  
  
When you love a woman, you tell her that she's the one  
  
Cause she needs somebody  
  
To tell her that it's gonna last forever  
  
So tell me have you ever really,  
  
Really, really ever loved a woman?  
  
To really love a woman  
  
Let her hold you  
  
Till you know how she needs to be touched  
  
You've got to breathe her, really taste her  
  
Till you can feel her in your blood  
  
And when you can see your unborn children in her eyes  
  
You know you really love a woman  
  
When you love a woman,  
  
You tell her that she's really wanted  
  
When you love a woman, you tell her that she's the one  
  
Cause she needs somebody  
  
To tell her that you'll always be together  
  
So tell me have you ever really,  
  
Really, really ever loved a woman?  
  
You got to give her some faith, hold her tight  
  
A little tenderness, you got to treat her right  
  
She will be there for you, taking good care of you  
  
You really gotta love your woman  
  
And when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms  
  
You know you really love a woman.  
  
"Have you ever really loved a woman" - Bryan Adams  
  
Authors note: Short, I know, but what are you waiting for? Review...........;) 


	7. Some Things You See With Your Eyes, Othe...

Authors note: My dearest readers, I have been receiving some reviews where people can't understand why I have lyrics in the endings. Well, the answer is I love music and I think it's very romantic, people who can't understand this are the most uncultured humans I have ever had the pleasure receiving reviews from. Well, here is chapter seven............enjoy..........Snowstar.  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter VII : "Some things you see with your eyes, others with your heart"  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and immediately recognised where she was. Her head was aching, she reached up to her forehead and felt the bandage that was tied around it. Sighing she turned to the other side and saw Severus sitting there, looking at her. There was a certain warmth in his eyes now that she had never seen before. She felt how the fear started to crawl up her spine.  
  
"Good morning" he greeted her. He saw a new flicker in her eyes. What was it? fear?  
  
"We can take this off now" he said, moved his hands to her head and untied the bandage. The cut was healed and the bruise was gone, there was only a little lump left.  
  
"Does it hurt?" he asked and gently touched the lump. She flinched a little. "I guessed so". He turned to the table that stood by the bed and started to tie a napkin around some ice cubes. Then he gently leaned forward and laid the little package on her lump.  
  
Hermione closed her eyes. It was nice to feel the coolness of the ice against the warmth of the lump.  
  
Severus saw how she enjoyed the ice on her forehead. He had always imagined her lying on his bed, the difference was that the image he had seen was such that he was in the bed with her and she was not injured.  
  
Hermione opened her eyes and saw Severus' face so close to hers. She could feel his breath on her face and she could smell his scent. There was something dark and mysterious about it. The warmth that had been there before had now blossomed to a fire, the fire of desire.  
  
Severus sensed her discomfort.  
  
"Can you hold this by yourself?" he asked. She nodded, reached up to her forehead, took hold of the little bag and kept holding it against the lump. After about five minutes she removed it and placed it at the table. All that was left on her forehead was a little, barely visible, red spot.  
  
"Now, professor Sprout said that you had to drink this" he said and Hermione saw a cup of tea at the table. Then he opened a little bag and put a pinch of a purple-black spice in the tea and mixed it.  
  
"What's in it?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Belladonna" he simply said and gave her the cup.  
  
She slowly lifted it to her lips and jerked a little as she felt the hotness against them.  
  
Severus frowned and took the cup from her. Her lips were swollen and had a little wound.  
  
"This might be nice" Severus said, took an ice cube and very slowly placed it against her mouth, gently stroking her lips with it. He made sure that his fingers didn't touch them. Her lips were very sore since Draco's kiss had opened a little wound at the side of them.  
  
Severus sighed.  
  
'Dumb blonde' he thought  
  
Hermione looked at him with a little bit of shock. Who was this man? She didn't recognise him anymore, he who used to be so cold-hearted and evil. Every student's great fear. He was sitting here, stroking ice against her swollen mouth. She felt how her fear drowned away, all she saw was this handsome man before her. Her heart started to beat faster. What was going on?  
  
He removed the ice, her lips were only a little swollen now, but still it killed him somehow. He shook his head and pulled out his wand. He saw how Hermiones eyes widened a little.  
  
"Bocus mendo" he said, and a faint blue glitter light was laid against her lips and they were healed.  
  
"Thank you" she said and touched her mouth with her fingertips.  
  
Severus stretched the sides of his mouth a little (his way of smiling) and gave her the tea again. She drank it, felt more stronger and gave him back the cup. As she looked into his eyes she felt a sudden weakness come back. She had to get out of there.  
  
"I have to go now" she said and started to move.  
  
"But..." he started.  
  
"I have to" she insisted and pulled back the covers of the bed. It wasn't until now that she realised what she was wearing. She brought her arms around her chest. The negligee didn't leave much to the imagination. She desperately searched for her dressing-gown.  
  
"Don't be ashamed" Severus said and Hermione merely rolled her eyes.  
  
"You might be needing this" he said and held out the dressing-gown to her. She removed one arm from her chest and took it from him, turned her back against him and put it on quickly.  
  
"Thank you for everything" she said and held out her hand to him. He took it and gently shook it.  
  
Then she went to the fireplace and took some floo powder.  
  
"The head girl room" she said very clearly, threw the powder to her feet and disappeared.  
  
Severus sighed. He was alone, once more. But at least she had been here.  
  
He turned to his bed and saw the mark at the pillow her head had left. He sat down at the bed, grabbed the pillow and buried his face in it, inhaling her scent. He lied down with his face against the pillow and very soon he dozed off, dreaming of Hermione.  
  
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The minute Hermione came back to her room she went to the bathroom and started to fill the tub, adding bubbles to the water.  
  
She threw her flimsy outfit on the bed and got in the tub, leaning back, letting the water clear her mind which was a carousel of different emotions.  
  
Thank God it was Sunday today so she could relax. Nobody knew she was back, so she could spend the entire day lulling.  
  
She ordered some food from a house elf and magically brought a TV into her room so she could watch a Muggle movie, which she hadn't done in a long time. All this so she could get her mind of from what had happened the last days.  
  
After a very comfortable day, she went to sleep.  
  
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The next morning everybody was happy she was back. During her lessons she never looked over at the Slytherin students, she just minded her own business and took the day with a smile.  
  
As she entered the Great Hall with Ginny she saw that neither Draco nor Snape were there. She exhaled and sat down at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"You will never guess who I have been dating two times now while you were in the Hospital wing. I'll give you a clue: Harry."  
  
"Harry?" Hermione said with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Yeah, you know Harry Potter, the boy who lived?" Ginny teased.  
  
"Stop being silly, of course I know. Congratulations, you finally did it."  
  
"I know, isn't it fabulous? He is so sweet"  
  
Hermione smiled and concentrated on her meal while Ginny kept on yapping about her and Harry.  
  
It was when Ron, Parvati and Harry entered the Great Hall that she stopped. They sat down and started stuffing their faces.  
  
Hermione excused herself and left. She always left first. Her next lesson started in thirty minutes so she had time to go to the library.  
  
As she stepped out the Great Hall, she walked down the left corridor, but turned back as she saw Draco, Crabbe and Goyle at the end of it.  
  
She started walking down the right corridor, but turned back as she saw Snape at the end.  
  
She gave up a little squeak and saw her rescue next to her, the girls bathroom. She ran in and slammed the door behind her.  
  
She panted and leaned her elbows at the sink, hiding her face in her palms. She looked up into the mirror and saw herself, but was it really herself?  
  
A man she had hated more than anything started to turn her world upside down.  
  
"Some things you see with your eyes, other with your heart". Her grandmother had once said those words.  
  
She definitely saw Draco with her eyes, but Severus, what did she see him with?  
  
She didn't know. Her next and final class of the day was Potions. How could she look at him without feeling her heart beat hysterically again? Maybe she did see him with her heart.  
  
Sighing she leaned back against the wall.  
  
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Look at me  
  
You may think you see  
  
Who I really am  
  
But you'll never know me  
  
Every day  
  
It's as if I play a part  
  
Now I see  
  
If I wear a mask  
  
I can fool the world  
  
But I cannot fool my heart  
  
Who is that girl I see  
  
Staring straight back at me?  
  
When will my reflection show  
  
Who I am inside?  
  
I am now  
  
In a world where I  
  
Have to hide my heart  
  
And what I believe in  
  
But somehow  
  
I will show the world  
  
What's inside my heart  
  
And be loved for who I am  
  
Who is that girl I see  
  
Staring straight back at me?  
  
Why is my reflection  
  
Someone I don't know?  
  
Must I pretend that I'm  
  
Someone else for all time?  
  
When will my reflection show  
  
Who I am inside?  
  
There's a heart that must be  
  
Free to fly  
  
That burns with a need to know  
  
The reason why  
  
Why must we all conceal  
  
What we think, how we feel?  
  
Must there be a secret me  
  
I'm forced to hide?  
  
I won't pretend that I'm  
  
Someone else for all time  
  
When will my reflection show  
  
Who I am inside?  
  
When will my reflection show  
  
Who I am inside?  
  
"Reflection" - Christina Aguilera 


	8. When You Find Love, You're The Luckiest ...

Authors note: I love, love ,love all my reviews, it was quite hard to write this chapter because I wanted to add some humour in it, but here it is............Snowstar.  
  
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When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter VIII: "When You find Love, You're the Luckiest Man on earth."  
  
As Hermione sat down in the dungeons to begin her Potions class, everything went good. She completely ignored the part of the room were the slytherins sat. She could sense that someone was looking at her, which could only be Draco.  
  
Hermione was so deep inside her thoughts that she almost jumped out of her skin when Severus stormed in.  
  
He went over to his desk. His robes billowed behind him like a big cloud, he almost looked like a king. The king of darkness, the power of darkness, that's what he is, the darkness itself. Black and mysterious and...'Get a grip of yourself, Granger' Hermione thought and shook her head a little to clear her view of the situation.  
  
The lesson started and everybody stood by their cauldrons, trying to make a potion that was suppose to give you better confidence.  
  
Hermione ignored her surroundings and just focused on her work.  
  
Severus sat by his desk and gazed over the students. Everything went well, he stole some glances from Hermione who worked as flawlessly as ever on her potion. He sighed soundlessly and felt his heart beat as he looked at her.  
  
When he had woke up in the morning, with his face still buried in the pillow that she had been lying on, he wanted to do anything but move from the pillow, because her scent was still there. At that moment he had sensed her, but what he wanted was to breathe her and taste her till he could feel her in his blood.  
  
He had to tear his eyes away from her and check the other students.  
  
Everybody were doing good, but when his eyes fell on Neville an alarm bell started to ring in him.  
  
"Longbottom, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" he screamed and ran over to Neville, but it was to late.  
  
Neville poured the very red fluid into his cauldron and a big, bright red cloud surrounded by a golden glitter shot up from his cauldron and hit Snape right in the chest, making him fall to the floor, unconscious.  
  
Everybody screamed in panic and gathered around their unconscious Potions master.  
  
"Is he dead?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione bent down beside him and felt him breathing.  
  
"No, he is just knocked out" she said and heard Ron sigh and mutter a 'Damn' under his breath.  
  
"Professor, professor, can you hear me?" Hermione asked and gently shook him.  
  
Snape felt as if he was in a big, black fog. He felt a longing, a longing that only one person could satisfy, then the fog separated itself and there she was. He opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful vision in the entire world. His heart was beating as if a wild horse was running inside of it. He was lost, he was mad.  
  
Hermione saw how his eyes fluttered and then he opened them, and they shot like an arrow at her.  
  
She saw a very dangerous light in them and removed her hand from him.  
  
"Hermione" he said and started to move up from the floor. Hermione did the same and was stepping back towards the door with him following her.  
  
"Professor, are you alright?" she asked, but he didn't answer.  
  
"Hermione, come here" he said and started to walk faster towards her.  
  
"No" she simply said, and right at that moment she stumbled at her robe and fell to the floor. As she looked up she saw Snape throwing himself at her, but she managed to roll away. She got to her feet and ran like hell out of the dungeons, screaming in panic.  
  
She heard him run after her, he was only a few meters behind.  
  
'He must be in very good shape' she thought.  
  
"Come back here!!!" he roared after her, his robes were flying behind him. It looked as if a big, black panther was chasing an innocent, little bird.  
  
Hermione screamed and felt the tears stream out from her eyes.  
  
Snape was obsessed with her, he needed her. The love was now burning so hot inside him that he couldn't control himself anymore.  
  
"Stop this instant and come back here!!!!!"  
  
As they ran through the corridor all the other doors opened and the teachers along with their students looked out and saw what was happening. Even Madame Hooch and her students flew up to a window outside the castle and looked inside.  
  
"Severus, you leave her alone right now!!" McGonagall yelled after them, but he didn't pay attention.  
  
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The rest of the students that had been in the dungeon was standing by the door as they saw Severus and Hermione running down the hall.  
  
Harry turned to Neville.  
  
"How did you do that?" he asked impressed.  
  
"I don't know" Neville responded.  
  
"Lets go and check out your cauldron" Ron said and all the rest of the class followed.  
  
As they were searching through all the ingredients that were standing on Neville's desk, Harry finally found the answer to their question.  
  
"Did you pour this into your cauldron?" he asked and Neville nodded.  
  
"Well, what is it?" Ron asked.  
  
"It's one of those 'Cupid'-ingredients that sets the heart aflame for the one you love, apparently you become so obsessed with your partner that you're going mad."  
  
"Wait a minute" Ron said with his hands in the air "Are you saying that Snape is in love with Hermione?"  
  
Harry thought for a moment and his eyes widened. Snape in love? 'Let's write some history' he thought.  
  
"Well...it appears so, otherwise he wouldn't be acting like this."  
  
Ron almost fainted. But then turned to Neville and grabbed him by his robe.  
  
"You've screwed up, this is all your fault as usual!!!!!!"  
  
"Hey, hey, hey Ron" Harry said and pulled Ron away from Neville "This is nobody's fault, OK?"  
  
"Well, stay here if you want, nobody tries to steal my chick without punishment" Draco said and started to run down the hall, and a few seconds later all the others followed.  
  
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Hermione was in pure panic as she ran down the halls with a very turned- on professor behind her.  
  
'Help' she thought as he was getting closer.  
  
Then she saw her rescue. The girl's bathroom.  
  
She ran in and slammed the door behind her, locking it very carefully.  
  
It was the second time today that this room had saved her life.  
  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you" she said, panting, she was exhausted after all that running. She could almost kiss the floor, but she didn't take that risk.  
  
She sank down upon one of the toilets to catch her breath, but then she heard a loud slam against the door.  
  
"Open up at once!!!" Severus yelled outside.  
  
Hermione looked around, she had to get out of there. But where? She couldn't possibly use the door.  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor, for running away from a professor when he needs you!!!" he kept on shouting.  
  
Then Hermione looked up and saw a little window very high up on the wall. She climbed up to it with help from a sink that was standing near her. As she was out and closed the window she could see how the door flew open and a very angry Professor Snape entered the bathroom.  
  
Hermione had run around almost the entire castle to find the main entrance, and as she found it she ran over to the first fireplace she could find. She took some Floo powder.  
  
"The Head girl room" she said and disappeared.  
  
Thank God she didn't had any more lessons today. It was Friday and she had a whole weekend in front of her.  
  
She couldn't stay here at Hogwarts, it would be too risky. She would make a visit to the Muggle world, to parents' grave, where she hadn't been in a long time.  
  
After writing a note to Dumbledore and owling it to his office, she packed some things, went to Diagon alley and took the Hogwarts Express home.  
  
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A very dumbfounded Severus was still standing in the girls bathroom searching after her.  
  
"Severus" he heard a voice behind him.  
  
He turned around, and there stood Albus.  
  
"She's not here, she has left to visit her parents. I received a note from her a little earlier today." He said with his eyes twinkling.  
  
"How long have you been in here?" he asked later.  
  
"I don't know?" Severus answered.  
  
"Well, maybe you can buy my school a new door later on?" he said. Severus brought his wand out from his robes and pointed it to the door opening, and then the door was fixed again.  
  
"She will be back this evening, and until then I think you should try to sleep a little so the spell you're under can come off." And with that the Headmaster left.  
  
Severus sighed and returned to his dungeons.  
  
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Hermione heard the church bells ring as she entered the cemetery. There were sculptures of angels and gargoyles surrounding the church and some of the tombstones.  
  
She was completely dressed in black, which made her think of Snape a little.  
  
She clutched the flowers in her hand tight as she started to walk through the stones and then she saw he father's grave. She felt the tears come out from her eyes.  
  
There were still quite many flowers around it from their friends and family.  
  
She stepped forward and laid the little bouquet by the stone.  
  
She kneeled down and rested her hands at the top of the stone, then she laid her cheek against it.  
  
"I love you, father." She said and kissed the stone. Her father had always said to her: 'When you find love, you're the luckiest man on earth'.  
  
She would always remember that, then she walked out from the cemetery.  
  
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You were once my one companion  
  
You were all that mattered  
  
You were once a friend and father  
  
Then my world was shattered  
  
Wishing you were somehow here again  
  
Wishing you were somehow near  
  
Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed  
  
Somehow you would be here  
  
Wishing I could hear your voice again  
  
Knowing that I never would  
  
Dreaming of you won't help me to do  
  
All that you dreamed I could  
  
Passing bells and sculpted angels  
  
Cold and monumental  
  
Seem for you the wrong companions  
  
You were warm and gentle  
  
Too many years fighting back tears  
  
Why can't the past just die?  
  
Wishing you were somehow here again  
  
Knowing we must say goodbye  
  
Try to forgive, teach me to live  
  
Give me the strength to try  
  
No more memories, no more silent tears  
  
No more gazing across the wasted years  
  
Help me say goodbye  
  
Help me say goodbye  
  
Sarah Brightman - "Wishing you were somehow here again"  
  
From Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical "The phantom of the opera" 


	9. When The Leaves Are Falling

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter IX: "When The Leaves Are Falling"  
  
Hermione slowly walked out of the cemetery, it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Her mother had been more than happy to see her daughter, but hadn't followed her to the cemetery, because it brought back too many memories. Hermione understood her.  
  
She made her way back with the train and just gazed outside the window without making a single noise during the trip.  
  
Snape was in love with her. It was still a little bit of a shock for her, but she admitted to herself that some very strong emotions had started to bloom up inside her lately for Severus.  
  
Everything was so confusing. First Draco, now Snape. Where was this going to lead? She knew that she could decide that by choosing one of them. Choose one but hurt the other. She wasn't sure that Draco would be hurt. After his attack at the hospital wing she wasn't sure that she would ever talk to him again.  
  
But Snape. He had softened up quite much lately. He wasn't cruel and mean towards her anymore. 'That poor man' she thought. Maybe he has a better side and considering the great love he had for her, she was quite sure that he wouldn't be cruel to her ever again. He had saved her, protected her and really helped her the time when she had dropped her pen and it had rolled in under her desk.  
  
She was so deep inside her thoughts that she even jumped a little when the train stopped. She was back.  
  
She got off the train and started walking. As she reached the castle and was about to enter it, she changed her mind. It somehow felt too soon to go back. She took a walk by the lake instead. It was blowing quite much and the wind played with her hair and caught her robe in a swirling dance. It also made little waves in the water of the lake.  
  
She sat down on a little rock that was leaning over the lake, she could see her own reflection in the water. The sun was hidden by the pale clouds that were covering the entire sky. It was the beginning of the autumn, and a little yellow leaf flew down from the tree behind her and landed on her lap.  
  
She gently picked it up and smelled it, it smelled like autumn. There was this fresh wind scent combined with summer-rain.  
  
'Life moves on' she thought and smiled. Even though she had been in troubles lately, she would continue her life. She let the little leaf go off with the wind as she released it from her grasp.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Severus was sitting in his dungeons with his own thoughts spinning around in his head. The little love spell he had been under had come off quite good now.  
  
He felt as if there was no chance now. Hermione must be terrified of him right now after that chase that went through the entire castle. He had really screwed up now. If only it hadn't been for that clumsy Longbottom, then maybe he'd have a chance with her now.  
  
Why does it have too be this way? If there really is an amazing man in the sky that is supposed to be the Father of every living creature, then this wouldn't happen to him, or would it?  
  
Maybe Severus was learning a lesson and now paid the price for the blackness and cruelty he had shown to almost every student that had been sitting in his classroom.  
  
He didn't know, all he knew that the only creature that he really loved was beyond his reach. But he had seen her vision in the Erised-mirror, and if she was his hearts deepest desire then maybe he was hers?  
  
Well, who knew? It was about evening now, Hermione would be at Hogwarts any minute. He had a feeling that she didn't want to see him, so he decided that he would take a walk around the castle so he wouldn't bump into her when she returned.  
  
As he opened the exit of the school a cool breeze greeted him. Severus looked around. All the leaves where still hanging on the trees, but their colour had changed. It was the beginning of the autumn, the last autumn he would spend at Hogwarts with Hermione in the same castle. Because this was her last year and when the summer came he would probably never see her again.  
  
The thought made him sad, to never see her again. He knew that he would remember her as long as he lived. But to never see her again with his very own eyes. What was he supposed to do, ask her for a portrait of her?  
  
He sighed. How would this end. He would end up alone and unloved his entire life. He had been well aware of that before and it hadn't bothered him then. But that was before Hermione had made his heart beat faster than normal.  
  
He had never before planned to share his life with anyone, being a former death eater and all. But since the fall of the Dark Lord, he'd decided that he was going to carry on with his life.  
  
And loneliness had never bothered him before, but now being infatuated made him long so much after something he probably never would get.  
  
It was only Dumbledore that knew about his love for Hermione, but after his little marathon after her the other students must have sensed something. His mother was no longer among the living, and he was the only Snape alive now. And there was this great amount of money that he would receive when he married. But he didn't want to marry Hermione because of that. Hell no! He loved her!  
  
He turned around the corner of the castle and saw a figure by the lake, but didn't have time to identify it, because a little leaf was flying right in front of his eyes. He caught it with his hand. The first leaf that had left a tree this season. He looked up from the leaf on his palm and looked at the creature that was sitting at the little rock by the lake. It was Hermione.  
  
His heart raced away. Should he go over to her? Or maybe not. He bit his lip. He wanted to go over to her, but would she talk to him?  
  
Taking a deep breath, he walked over.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione sensed presence behind her and turned her head around. And there he was.  
  
"Hello" he said.  
  
"Hi" she responded.  
  
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier, I was under a very powerful spell."  
  
"I know, professor, I know."  
  
He sighed a little.  
  
"Could you forgive me?" he asked, holding his breath.  
  
Hermione considered the situation a little.  
  
"Of course, I do. You didn't really mean it, did you?"  
  
'A part of me did' he thought.  
  
Hermione patted the rock as an invitation for him to sit next to her.  
  
He accepted and sat down beside her. Looking at her, she was so beautiful to him.  
  
"Is it important to you that I forgive you?" she asked very tenderly.  
  
He looked at her. If she only knew how important that was.  
  
"Yes" he answered.  
  
"I thought you didn't like me" she said.  
  
Severus sighed a little and thought back at the past.  
  
"I didn't before, but now..." his words trailed off and he looked down, hiding his face from her so she couldn't see the emotions that was storming in his eyes.  
  
Hermione saw how it bothered him and decided that she was gonna take the first move. Taking a deep breath she hit it.  
  
"Severus?" she asked and he looked up.  
  
"Do you love me?" she asked, and he opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again.  
  
After a second or two he responded.  
  
"More than anything" he said very silently. Hermione thought that she was going to melt into a little puddle of emotions. Nobody had ever said that to her before. She looked into his eyes and only saw the love he felt for her.  
  
When she didn't say anything, he rose and started to leave.  
  
Hermione panicked. She flew up from the rock and grabbed him by the arm before he could take a step.  
  
"Please, don't go" she said.  
  
'She is touching me, willingly.' he thought.  
  
He sat down once again.  
  
"I knew you loved me" she said "I heard you talking to the headmaster when I was in your dungeons and you took care of me." Her hands moved from his arm and down to his own. She took both of his large hands in her own small.  
  
When she held his hands he felt a fulfilment he had been searching after for so long.  
  
"Then you knew all the time?" he said and looked into her brown eyes.  
  
"Yes" she said. "You said that you have loved for over a year now, and that only looking at me without being able to do something almost drove you mad."  
  
"Oh, Hermione, if you only knew the torture I've been through."  
  
"I'm sorry" she said and looked down, Severus looked at her puzzled.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
She looked up at him and Severus saw the tears that was running down from her enchanting eyes.  
  
"For putting you into this" she said later, and bent her head down again, sobbing.  
  
She was crying for him, he couldn't believe it. Her tears was too much for him. He brought his hand under her chin and lifted her face up so he could look at her.  
  
"It was not your fault, I've been suffering my entire life." At these words, there was something that broke Hermione's heart. That this man had suffered so much without no one really caring for him. As she felt the ache in her heart she suddenly realised. She saw him with her heart, not with her eyes. This feeling that suddenly bloomed up inside her. What was it? Madness? Sympathy? Fear?. No, none of them. It was...........................love.  
  
Without any words she threw herself into his arms, placing her face against his shoulder, crying herself out while embracing him with the love she felt for him.  
  
Severus eyes shot wide open at her sudden reaction. Her body was against his. He had always dreamt about this, and now it came true. He wrapped his own arms around her, and buried his face in her soft hair, breathed in her scent as he had always longed for, her lovely scent. Feeling it intoxicate his senses, he closed his eyes in delight.  
  
Would he dare to kiss her? Just a little one, please. He gave her temple a kiss that was longer then he had planned.  
  
As Hermione had thrown herself in his arms, she felt as if she was home. All her troubles had melted away and that hard shell she had built around her broke. As his arms came around her she felt her heart beating faster then it was already doing. And as the kiss against her temple came, she felt a spark coming through her body.  
  
She brought her face up from his shoulder and looked into his dark eyes. Their face where only inches away. And they came closer and closer.  
  
Then their lips came together in a pure kiss of love.  
  
Hermione felt the love she had just discovered for him grow bigger and bigger.  
  
Severus was in seventh heaven. Everything around them seemed to disappear, only the two of them existed. If the embrace had shocked him, then this would make him faint any second, but he didn't. Both of them closed their eyes in pure bliss.  
  
He could feel her soft lips separating his own and her tongue came inside his mouth. They danced and swirled together to the rhythm of love. Never wanting to stop. Her hands came up around his neck and stroked his hair. It wasn't as greasy as she had thought it would be. In fact it was silky and very soft. His own arms tightened around her so she could be closer than she already was.  
  
But soon they parted, both breathing heavily.  
  
Severus eyes opened and he saw the most wonderful thing in the world. Her eyes shone of love to him also.  
  
He still held on to her tightly, afraid that if he let her go she would disappear.  
  
"I love you" he said as his forehead brushed against her own.  
  
"I love you too...................Severus" she responded. Something she had never seen before appeared on his face, a smile. She responded the smile and their lips met again.  
  
They were standing there in the wind with their arms around each other, unaware of the blonde boy that was standing at the balcony to the Slytherin- tower, with his fists so tightly clenched together that his palms started to bleed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
There's no time for us  
  
There's no place for us  
  
What is this thing that builds our dreams  
  
Yet slips away from us?  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
There's no chance for us,  
  
It's all decided for us,  
  
This world has only one sweet moment  
  
Set aside for us  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
Now touch my tears with your lips  
  
Touch my world with your fingertips  
  
And we can have forever  
  
And we can love forever  
  
Forever is our today  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
Who wants to live forever?  
  
Who waits forever anyway?  
  
Queen - "Who wants to live forever" 


	10. When The Rain Is Falling

Authors note: I know it was a long time since I updated but it has been very stressful now around christmas and everything......however here is chapter ten. It's kinda OOC but what fic' writer doesn't write OOC these days. Like it? Review it!!...........Snowstar.  
  
¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter X: "When The Rain Is Falling"  
  
Severus and Hermione's lips were still touching each other. Severus heart was beating faster than it ever had before. She was so lovely, so pure. One of his hands, the one that was holding her waist firmly, came up along her back and into her hair finding the soft flesh of her neck, devouring the feel and heat of it.  
  
Hermione felt his hand at the back of her neck. It was cold but it didn't bother her, all these warm shivers that he was sending down her spine were enough to keep her warm. They didn't even react when a loud crack came from the sky and the rain poured down over them. The sky turned dark blue, the darkness fell over them. The stars appeared with the lightning.  
  
Severus and Hermione parted. Her hair was slicked from her beautiful face with wet with glittering raindrops that also was on her lashes. The stars and the lightning reflected themselves in her eyes. Hermione had never seen the stars and lightning at the same time. But here in the magical world everything was possible.  
  
Hermione breathed heavily from the kiss, she knew that she would never experience anything so passionate again. As her breath came out it clouded itself in the air. Severus noticed that she was freezing, he opened his robes for her and she gladly stepped inside the dark circle, her hands around his waist, her head resting on his chest. She looked up at him. He looked like a king. The king of night and darkness. All of him was black except his face. His eyes were burning like fire.  
  
The raindrops from his face ran down onto her own. He looked so mighty, with his robes around her. It felt as if she was inside a dark cocoon, being reborn to something new. A new experience of love, not the love for a friend or a father, but more rich and valuable.  
  
They started to walk back to the castle. His robes were still around her. They walked down to his dungeons. As soon as they came in, Severus drew his wand and pointed at the fireplace. He released Hermione and himself from his soaked robes.  
  
"You might want to take a bath" he said, she only nodded in response. Severus showed her the way to the bathroom and just as he was about to shut the door behind her, she stopped him.  
  
"You need to take a bath too" she said and took one of his ice cold hands in her own "before you catch a cold or something." Severus eyes flew up. He couldn't bath with her, but the urge to do it was so strong. 'Resist, resist' a voice inside his head said. 'You can't, she's not ready' He thought to himself that he didn't want to scare her with his animal needs. Hermione was a virgin, he could tell after the little incident in the hospital wing.  
  
Gathering his courage he smiled softly.  
  
"I'll do it when you're finished" he said calmly. She smiled too and nodded in response, but as she was about to shut the door he stopped her.  
  
"Wait a minute" he said and went into his bedroom.  
  
"You can use this when you're done" he said and gave her a night gown. She held it up against her. The cleavage was a bit low and surrounded by a lace collar, the sleeves reached to the elbows and they were also surrounded by lace, the skirt was very long a flowed out from the hips a little.  
  
"It's beautiful" she said.  
  
"It was my mothers" he responded.  
  
"Thank you" she said and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before she turned and went into the bathroom. Severus stood at the same spot for a minute before getting his senses back. He stripped of his own clothes and hung them up to dry. He put on a black dressing robe and ordered tea for two from the kitchen.  
  
Hermione came out from the bathroom, her hair hanging loosely down her back and she was wearing the night gown. It clung to her torso like a second skin, but it hung beautifully from her hips.  
  
Severus turned around and caught his breath in his throat. She looked like an angel. Seeing that night gown on her reminded him of his mother, Hermione reminded him a little of his mother, another reason why he loved her so. He stepped forward and sneaked his arms around her waist, pulling her to him.  
  
"You're exquisite" he whispered.  
  
"You are cold" she said as she felt his bare chest that was visible from the robe against her own. "You go in there and bath and don't come out until you are warm again" she said. He smiled a little but did as she said. Yes, Hermione definitely reminded him of his mother.  
  
As Severus was in the bathroom, Dobby came with a little wagon with tea and strawberry with cream.  
  
Dobby blushed at the sight of Hermione.  
  
"Miss Hermione Granger does look lovely today, Dobby would marry Miss Hermione Granger if Miss Hermione Granger was an elf, but Miss Hermione Granger belongs to Master Snape."  
  
Hermione smiled and gave him a little kiss at the head. Dobby blushed even more and started to walk out, but tripped on the carpet. After getting up he ran out.  
  
Hermione started to prepare the tea as she felt two arms come around her waist and pull her backwards. Her back made contact with a well muscled chest.  
  
"Come" he said and picked her up in his arms. He gently laid her on the couch and sat down beside her. He snapped his fingers and all the things that were on the wagon came floating in the air and placed themselves in front of them at the table.  
  
"Tea?" he asked and held out a cup in front of her. Hermione took it, it was exactly as she wanted it.  
  
She reached for a strawberry and dipped it in the cream. She looked into his eyes as she gently bit in it, hearing the soft sound.  
  
Severus bit his lip. She was going to play with him. Well, two can play a game.  
  
Taking a strawberry himself he first sucked the cream from it, spinning his tongue around the top, hearing how her breathing became faster. He put it in his mouth, but before he had time to chew it she threw herself at him and opened his mouth with her lips. Plunging her tongue in she got hold of the strawberry and ate it before he could do anything. Severus looked at her puzzled.  
  
"Why did you do that when there is plenty of strawberries at the table."  
  
"You were not being fair with that strawberry so I had to take revenge somehow" she said. Severus chuckled. A strawberry, she never seized to amaze him.  
  
Without leaving his position he took another strawberry and held it against her mouth. When she was going to take it he teased her by pulling it back until she got it.  
  
Hermione took one herself and as she was about to put it in his mouth a little drop of cream fell off from it and landed in the hollow in his throat. Hermione smiled and bent her head, kissing it away. She took this opportunity to kiss his throat, up to his jawline, his chin and then finally his mouth. Severus melted under placing his hands at her back then moving them down very slowly to her thighs. Coming up again to her back. Hermione boldly took his hands and placed them at her buttocks. Severus rolled over so she was lying beneath him.  
  
Caressing her hair, he felt how her hands were stroking his broad back and shoulders. Hermione grabbed him by the neck and claimed his mouth again.  
  
"Hermione, love" he tried to say with his mouth pressed against hers. Hermione released him.  
  
"You don't know how very much I want this, but..." He stopped unable to continue.  
  
"Go on" she said.  
  
"I know that you are a virgin and I want your first time to be perfect, you've been suffering so much these last days and I don't want to rush myself at you."  
  
Hermione smiled and stroked his hair back from his face.  
  
"Thank you" she said.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For respecting me and being patient with me. Other boys have tried to get in my knickers the second I've just talked to them."  
  
They talked for hours without noticing them ticking by. Hermione felt safe and home with Severus, she could talk to him without getting bored and they both shared the same interests for reading, potions and knowledge. He wasn't as hideous as he had been when she was younger. Now that she loved him and knew him better, she saw a completely different side of him. Even his face had changed, not looking that stern and evil anymore. His face had softened up.  
  
"It's late, you should be going now" he said.  
  
"My clothes are still wet" she protested.  
  
"You can use the floo."  
  
"It would make the night gown dirty" she protested again. "Severus, I want to stay here tonight with you."  
  
Severus looked down at her.  
  
"With me?"  
  
"Yes, with you" she smiled.  
  
"All right. You can take the bed and I will sleep on the couch."  
  
"I don't mind sharing the bed with you, that is if you don't mind?"  
  
How could he say no to that?  
  
"I don't mind" he said.  
  
Rising from the couch, he bent down and picked her up in his arms, taking her to the bedroom. He gently laid her onto the bed.  
  
Hermione crawled in under the coverlet. As he laid down she snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest. She felt his arms come around her and how he buried his face in her hair. She looked up and kissed him.  
  
"Good night, my love" she said and went to sleep.  
  
"Good night, my Hermione."  
  
¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤~¤  
  
When you get caught in the rain  
  
with no where to run  
  
When you're distraught and in pain  
  
without anyone  
  
When you keep crying out to be saved  
  
but nobody comes  
  
And you feel so far away  
  
that you just can't find your way home  
  
You can get there alone  
  
It's ok, won't you say  
  
I can make it through the rain  
  
I can stand up once again  
  
on my own, and I know  
  
that I'm strong enough to mend  
  
And every time I feel afraid  
  
I hold tighter to my faith  
  
and I live one more day  
  
and I make it through the rain  
  
And if you keep falling down,  
  
don't you dare give in  
  
You will arise safe and sound,  
  
so keep pressing on steadfastly  
  
and you'll find what you need to prevail  
  
Won't you say  
  
I can make it through the rain  
  
I can stand up once again  
  
on my own, and I know  
  
that I'm strong enough to mend  
  
And every time I feel afraid  
  
I hold tighter to my faith  
  
and I live one more day  
  
and I make it through the rain  
  
And when the wind blows  
  
And shadows grow close  
  
Don't be afraid  
  
There's nothing you can't face  
  
And should they tell you,  
  
you'll never pull through  
  
Don't hesitate, stand tall and say  
  
I can make it through the rain  
  
I can stand up once again  
  
on my own, and I know  
  
that I'm strong enough to mend  
  
And every time I feel afraid  
  
I hold tighter to my faith  
  
And I live one more day  
  
and I make it through the rain  
  
And I can make it through the rain  
  
and stand up once again  
  
And I live one more day and I,  
  
I can make it through the rain  
  
Oh yes, you can,  
  
You're gonna make it through the rain  
  
Mariah Carey - "Through the rain" 


	11. Head Boy Missing and a Letter Arrives

Authors note: thank you once again for all the wonderful reviews...;) here's chapter eleven, enjoy...Love from Snowstar.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter XI : Head Boy Missing and Letters Arrive  
  
Severus woke up first, feeling the warmth of Hermione. Her head, with all those soft curls, was resting on his chest, almost touching his chin. His hands lazily caressed her back. He felt new and refreshed, just like being reborn. He remembered the day before, how the potion had hit him right in his chest and how he later on had been running after Hermione through almost the entire school. Then he had seen her by the lake, and it was there that all the magic had started. All this passion he had suffered from had finally been released from his body, he could finally tell her what she meant to him and she had returned his feelings with the same warmth and care.  
  
She began to stir and looked up at him with sleepiness still in her eyes. As her eyes focused at the dark figure in front of her, her face lit up with a smile.  
  
"Good morning" he greeted her. She didn't respond, she just looked at him.  
  
He brought her hand up, the one that had been lying on his chest, to his mouth, softly brushing it with his lips.  
  
"You're so beautiful when you sleep, do you know that? Almost more beautiful than when you are awake" he said, and he was answered by a glittering light that twinkled in her eyes.  
  
"No, no one has ever told me. This is the first time I have company in bed" she said and cuddled closer to him. He was still warm from sleeping. "But if I get to wake up every morning hearing you telling me, then I might believe in it" Severus smiled and pressed his lips to the top of her head.  
  
"Good, because I love you, and I intend to wake you up like that as often as I can"  
  
Hermione smiled and kissed him gently, he responded and deepened the kiss a little more. It turned more and more passionate, their tongues made contact with each other. Severus rolled over so Hermione was lying beneath him. Their mouths still joined, he began to stroke her body, the only thing that separated his touch from her skin was the soft silk from her night gown. Severus pulled back and sat up in the bed. Hermione sat up to and leaned her back against the headboard. She grabbed Severus's shoulders and pulled him back so he was lying between her legs with his head against her belly.  
  
She began to ran her fingers through his soft hair. Severus closed his eyes in enjoyment and Hermione saw how his long lashes rested against his cheeks, Severus had very thick hair and lashes, his eyebrows were long and beautifully shaped. There was something feminine about Severus, even his handwriting reminded her about that of a woman, she had seen it during classes.  
  
"You have nice hair" she said as she combed her fingers through it, her nails gently scratching the scalp.  
  
He smiled with his eyes closed.  
  
"Thank you. So have you" he said.  
  
"Yours isn't that greasy when you look at it closely"  
  
"And yours is not so frizzy when you look at it closely" he responded. She smiled, he always made her smile.  
  
"From who did you inherit this dark hair?" she asked.  
  
Severus frowned a little, thinking.  
  
"From my mother. She had very long, black, curly hair. You look like her, you know? The only difference is that your colours are lighter."  
  
Hermione saw how he suddenly stretched his arm out and opened a little box at the bed-table. He brought out a silver locket and handed it to Hermione.  
  
"Open it" he said with his head still resting on her belly.  
  
Hermione opened it and looked at the picture of a very beautiful woman with raven locks that reached down to her waist. She could see that this woman was definitely Severus's mother, the eyes with long lashes that were framed by long eyebrows were those of Severus. And the thickness and colour of the hair were also Severus's. He was right, she looked pretty much like Hermione.  
  
Hermione closed the locket, the name Sapphire was engraved at the lid and the dot above the "i" was a blue sapphire stone.  
  
"Sapphire" Hermione murmured.  
  
"That was her name, Sapphire Snape."  
  
Hermione handed him the locket again.  
  
"You loved her very much?" Hermione asked. Severus nodded.  
  
"She is the only one I have ever loved, until now,when I have you" he said and took one of her hands and laid it against his cheek.  
  
"How did she die?"  
  
"In some sort of cancer. I never knew my father, but my mother always told me that my voice and face-shape come from him."  
  
"Do you miss her?" Hermione asked. Severus looked up at her and Hermione noticed a tear in his eye, she cursed herself for touching his, apparently, only sensitive spot.  
  
He closed his eyes and Hermione saw how he pressed back the tear from his eye and breathed shivering.  
  
"Every day" he whispered later.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you."  
  
"It's all right". He wiped away a tear that had managed to slip out from the corner of his eye, and sat up, facing her. Hermione opened her arms to him and he felt how they closed around him. She softly kissed his temple.  
  
"Enough sadness" he said and pulled back so he could look at her.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"How exactly did you know that I was a virgin?" she asked with great curiosity.  
  
Snape laughed. 'Interesting conversation this is' he thought. First his mother now Hermione's virginity.  
  
"Well, when I haunted you in the halls yesterday there was some sort of sign. If you were not a virgin you would probably grab me by the neck and wrestle me down, if I know you correctly."  
  
Hermione laughed.  
  
"I guess you're right" she said and kissed his lips.  
  
"Let's get dressed before breakfast starts in the Great Hall" he said and they both climbed out of bed.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
Hermione sat with Harry, Ron and Ginny eating. Harry and Ginny sat next to each other and couldn't stop looking at one another. It was obvious that they were in love. Next to Hermione Parvati sat with Ron and did the same.  
  
Hermione looked up at the head table and saw Severus sitting next to McGonagall. She caught his eyes with hers. He blinked to her with one eye, Hermione smiled and blushed a little.  
  
"What are you so red for?" Ginny asked.  
  
"What?" Hermione tried to sound as innocent as possible.  
  
"You were looking at one of the teachers then you turned into a cherry. Who were you looking at?" Parvati asked.  
  
"I did not look at anyone, what makes you guys think that?"  
  
"You're still smiling". Ginny teased her.  
  
"I'm not smiling. Am I?" she asked.  
  
"Like a fool." Parvati said.  
  
"You've met someone, haven't you?" This line brought Harry's and Ron's face up from their plates.  
  
"Hermione met someone?" Harry said, followed by Ron's laughter.  
  
"You're joking, right?" Ron choked with his mouth full.  
  
"No, I haven't" Hermione said.  
  
"All right, then stop smiling." Ginny said, herself with a smile.  
  
Hermione really tried to shut her mouth.  
  
"I can't." she burst out and kept on smiling.  
  
"Okay, who is he?" Parvati asked.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
Severus looked down at Hermione. She looked happy as usual. He smiled a little to himself. He looked over at the table where his house was sitting. Everyone was there, except his Head Boy. 'Where could he be?' he thought to himself. His face immediately changed from a slight happiness to a much bigger concern.  
  
Minerva saw this and twisted her hands in her lap.  
  
"Something's bothering you, Severus?" she asked.  
  
"No, absolutely nothing" he answered.  
  
When he left later, Minerva could hear him sighing very quietly.  
  
"He seems to be in a good mood, for the first time in many years". She said to Albus. "But at the same time not" she added later.  
  
"I'm happy for him, he has finally found someone to share his life with" Dumbledore said with that happy twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"Is it who I think it is?" Minerva asked.  
  
"Yes, Severus has finally confessed his love to our dear Miss Granger."  
  
"Does she respond to his love?"  
  
"Of course she does."  
  
"And what is it that's bothering him?" she asked later.  
  
Albus sighed and the twinkle suddenly turned less brighter.  
  
"Something that I have to inform him about later" he answered.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
Hermione made her way from the Great Hall down to the dungeons to find Severus by his desk, going through some papers.  
  
"Hello, my love" she said happily as she walked over to him. Standing behind him she brought her arms around his neck and bent down to kiss him. As she was about to rise, he laid his hand behind her neck and pulled her down for another kiss.  
  
"I'm glad you came, I've received a note from the Headmaster and he wants us in his office as soon as we can" Severus said and released her neck.  
  
"Did he say what it was about?" she asked.  
  
"No, and since I'm finished here and you don't have anymore lessons for today, maybe we could floo by now."  
  
"That would be nice" Hermione said, Severus walked over to the fireplace and opened his arms which she gladly ran into.  
  
"The Headmaster's office" he said and they both disappeared.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
They both entered Dumbledore's office.  
  
Albus turned from his phoenix bird and looked at them with no twinkle at all in his eyes.  
  
"Is something wrong, Headmaster?" Severus asked, he had seen the principal upset before but not as upset as now.  
  
"A letter has been owled for you Severus, and I think it's best you read it yourself without my explanation" he said and handed Snape the letter. It was a black piece of paper written in red ink.  
  
Severus heart started to beat faster as red what it said.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione asked. She could see how Severus's hands began to tremble as he held the letter.  
  
Severus was quiet a pregnant time before he looked up at the love of his life and said with an unsteady voice.  
  
"I have been called to a meeting with the Dark Lord, Lucious Malfoy and his son tomorrow night. It says that Draco has accused me of stealing."  
  
"Stealing?" Hermione asked and Severus only nodded. "Stealing what?" she asked later.  
  
Severus swallowed hard.  
  
"You" he said later.  
  
Hermione felt how her throat got tied up with different emotions and suddenly without any further thoughts she ran out from the office.  
  
Severus threw the letter behind him and ran after her.  
  
"Hermione!" he screamed and she stopped at the sound of his voice.  
  
She turned to face him with her face all tear stained.  
  
"I have heard many stupid things from that brat before, but this really takes the prize. God, Severus you are going to be killed tomorrow night."  
  
"Maybe, I don't know. Has Draco ever said anything to you, that he owns you or something?" Severus asked with his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"No. Wait a minute, yes. You remember that quidditch-match when Slytherin won?"  
  
"Yes, that was when you fell from his broom."  
  
"Yes, he said that I belonged to him then, like a pet". Her face turned red and her eyes started to fill with tears again.  
  
"You never hit the ground that day, did you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"No, you saved me from falling, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, how do you know that?" he asked with both eyebrows raised.  
  
"Well, I was awake when you and Professor Dumbledore were talking in your dungeons, you remember? It was when I was staying with you after Malfoy had cornered me."  
  
"Yes. You were awake? Then you must have known quite a long time that I've been in love with you."  
  
"Yes. Well, what does that thing Malfoy said to me has to do with anything of this?" she frowned.  
  
"Lucious Malfoy has a higher standard than any other Death Eater that exists, so everything he or his son says makes it true to the Dark Lord."  
  
"WHAT!" she screamed out. "That's not possible."  
  
"Well, not yet, you two are not legally bound to each other. To the Dark Lord you are, but not to the Ministry."  
  
"Do you mean like married?"  
  
"Yes, but there is a way to change that."  
  
"How? What way?" she asked confused.  
  
Severus's hands went from her shoulders, to her arms, to finally her own hands. He went down on both of his knees.  
  
Looking up at her, he said very silky.  
  
"Hermione Granger, will you marry me tonight? I will protect you from all black magic that exists, and I will love you for as long as you shall live. Though I may die tomorrow, I will die knowing I was married to the person I have loved more than anything in my entire life."  
  
Hermione stood absolutely stunned. He wants to marry her, his proposal was echoing in her mind, beautiful and flawless. She saw the hope in his eyes and knew that she could never hurt him. Smiling, with tears in her eyes, she responded.  
  
"Nothing would make me happier."  
  
Severus smiled and pulled out a black box from his pocket. Opening it she saw a band in white gold with a great emerald and tiny little diamonds beautifully placed around it. Severus slipped it onto her finger and stood up later, placing his arms around her. He kissed her with a passion that nearly knocked her over.  
  
They pulled back when they heard applauds around them. Looking up they could see all the doors in the hall were open and students along with teachers were standing around them, clapping their hands.  
  
Dumbledore came up behind them, the twinkle in his eyes was immediately back.  
  
"This is the most wonderful thing that has happened in years! I will gladly wed you two in three hours in my office". He grabbed Severus by the shoulder and brought him with him on the way to his office.  
  
Minerva, Ginny and Parvati went over to Hermione, all three of them had tears in their eyes.  
  
"Oh, Hermione dear, come with us and we will get you ready for you wedding" Minerva said and the four women headed back to the Head Girl room.  
  
~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~§~  
  
Never knew I could feel like this  
  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
  
Every day I Love You more and more  
  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?  
  
Telling me to give you everything  
  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
  
But I Love You, until the end of time  
  
Come what may  
  
Come what may  
  
I will Love You  
  
Until my dying day  
  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
  
It all revolves around you  
  
And there's no mountain too high  
  
No river too wide  
  
Sing out this song,  
  
And I'll be there by your side  
  
Storm clouds may gather  
  
And stars may collide  
  
But I Love You, I Love You,  
  
Until the end of time  
  
Oh, come what may, come what may  
  
I will Love You, until my dying day  
  
Oh come what may, come what may  
  
I will Love You, I will Love You  
  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
  
Come what may  
  
Come what may  
  
I will Love You  
  
Until my dying day  
  
Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman – "Come What May" 


	12. Don't Think Of Tomorrow

Authors note: To everyone who reads this chapter, thank you for your patience...=) It's been weeks since I updated....lots of love from Snowstar.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter XII : "Don't Think Of Tomorrow"  
  
Hermione was in a completely different world while Ginny, Minerva and Parvati dressed her for the wedding.  
  
She was going to get married. She tried to get used to the thought, but it was nearly impossible. Severus was in her mind the entire time, maybe he was only going to live a few hours more. Now that she finally found someone to love so deeply he was standing at the door of Death.  
  
Hermione shook her head. It was her wedding day, 'Cheer up!' her mind screamed though her heart was aching.  
  
"There, dear, you're finished" Minerva smiled softly.  
  
Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a white dress that reached to the floor and the skirt was longer at the back, creating a train. It had some pearl embroideries here and there. Her hair was pulled up and a simple white veil sat on her head. Along with this, she held a bouquet of roses, the black roses with the silver stems.  
  
Something new was her dress, something old was her mother's veil and something borrowed were Ginny's earrings.  
  
"And to fulfil it, something blue" Parvati said and gave her a light-blue garter. Hermione smirked and putted it on.  
  
"Are you ready to go, Hermione?" Ginny asked.  
  
Hermione looked at herself one more time, she took a deep breath and exhaled.  
  
She smiled softly and turned towards the three women in front of her.  
  
"Yes" she said and they made their way to Dumbledore's office.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
Severus was already in the office. He was wearing black robes as usual, but these had some silver patterns everywhere and at the left side of his chest there was a snake in sliver.  
  
"Nervous, my boy?" Albus asked.  
  
Severus turned around and looked at the old man.  
  
Smiling he responded "I guess maybe a little, although this is the most horrible and most wonderful day of my life. What if I won't make it?"  
  
Albus smiled. "You will make it. You love her and Miss Granger loves you so much, when you get married, you won't be nervous. Trust me, I know this. In fact it is the most wonderful moment in your entire life even, you being bound to the person that you hold closer to you heart than anything else. And you know that when she leaves, she will always return to you."  
  
"Yes" Severus sighed "but what if I don't return to her? Will I ever come back to this castle tomorrow and live happy with her the rest of my life? Will I ever hear her laugh, see her smile? Will I ever be able to kiss her again?"  
  
"You can't leave everything to fate, boy. She's got a lot to do and sometimes you must give her a hand."  
  
"Well, I guess you are right, old man" Severus said and Albus embraced him.  
  
There was a knock at the door, Albus went to open. It was Hermiones mother and some of the other teachers.  
  
"Ah, Mrs Granger, how kind of you to come." Albus said and invited her in.  
  
"According to your information, I take it my little girl is getting married?" she said.  
  
"Correct, dear, and this is my Potions professor, Severus Snape, the groom."  
  
Mrs Granger looked at the man in black, smiled softly and shook his hand.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you" she said, Severus smiled back.  
  
"Likewise, I'm sure." he said.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore has explained everything to me and I'm very happy for you and Hermione."  
  
"Thank you" he said.  
  
There was another knock on the door and this time a little house elf opened.  
  
"Take your positions" Albus said as he took his.  
  
Ginny, Minerva and Parvati walked in and took their places, after them Hermione entered.  
  
She smiled when she saw her mother and smiled even more when she saw Severus. Tears were starting to burn in her eyes, but she didn't care.  
  
Severus caught his breath. A lovely nymph in white entered the office with black roses in her grasp. This lovely creature was going to become his for the rest of his life, he had wished that for a very long time and now that it was happening it was amazing.  
  
Hermiones eyes closed to Severus's as she reached her spot.  
  
"Severus Snape, do you take this woman, Hermione Granger, to your lawful wedded wife, to love, care for and honour till death do you part?"  
  
"I do" he said and slid the ring he had given earlier that day onto her finger.  
  
"Hermione Granger, do you take this man, Severus Snape, to your lawful wedded husband, to love, care for and honour till death do you part?"  
  
"I do" Hermione said and slid a simple wedding band in white gold onto Severus's finger.  
  
"Your vows has now been heard and seen by the ears and eyes of the Gods, you may now kiss the bride" Albus said, Hermione brought her arms up to Severus neck and Severus himself brought his down to Hermiones waist, their lips closed to each other in a kiss of pure love.  
  
Their surroundings started to applause and congratulated them.  
  
After about an hour, Hermione and Severus returned to their dungeons. Hermione was about to step in when Severus opened the door, but he stopped her.  
  
"Wait a little" he said and swept her up into her arms.  
  
"What are you doing?" Hermione giggled.  
  
"Muggle tradition" he said and carried her all the way to the bedroom. It was about ten o'clock in the evening and the sky was dark.  
  
Hermione stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and started to take her hair down. She sighed, it was her wedding night, but maybe the last night she would ever share with her husband. A single tear fell down her cheek but she wiped it away.  
  
"Hermione, darling?" Severus asked as he himself took his robes of until he was only wearing a white shirt and the black trousers. He was starting to undo the buttons in the shirt but stopped as he heard the bathroom door open.  
  
He turned around and saw Hermione standing there in a light-blue, silk night-gown.  
  
Severus reached for her and she stepped forward into his arms. Their lips met, he stroked her silk clad body. He broke the kiss as he felt the taste of tears.  
  
He opened his eyes and looked into her soaked eyes.  
  
"Hermione, love, why are you crying?" he asked, not letting go of her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Severus, but I can't stop thinking about what the Malfoys and Voldemort are going to do with you."  
  
Severus sighed and hugged her closer to him, burying his face in her hair.  
  
When she didn't cry anymore he brought her face up and looked into her eyes.  
  
"My darling wife, don't think about tomorrow. Think about us and tonight, tonight is for us and nothing will ruin it."  
  
Hermione smiled through her tears and kissed him again.  
  
"I know. I just love you so much" she said when they parted.  
  
Severus kissed her forehead.  
  
"I know, and you know that I love you more than anything?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Tonight is ours" he whispered.  
  
And so it was.  
  
As the moon-light gilded the dark chamber of the dungeons, they undressed each other and explored one another with joy and with need. There was no need or words, no need for thoughts or for questions.  
  
There was only fire and passion and tenderness such as neither of them had ever known, and there was pleasure deeper and wilder than the ocean.  
  
They made love on the soft bed, as the stars burned in the sky. Hermione found what it was like to touch and kiss that magnificent man that had mesmerised her so before, and Severus took his time discovering all the soft, sleek places of his wife's glorious body.  
  
When he kissed her breast, and stroked her thighs, Hermione moaned with delight in a most satisfactory way. When she brushed her fingers and lips to his flesh he thought he would explode with madness.  
  
Their kisses came from the heart, their lovemaking came from the soul and Hermione felt not a thing of fear as her husband touched her as no man had ever touched her before and grown inside her to make them one.  
  
Locked together as one, they climbed hard and fast past desire, past heat and naked wanting to a joyous fulfilment that rocked through them liked thunder. When the thunder died down, they were left spent, breathless and shuddering.  
  
Severus was speechless. How many times had he not dreamt about this moment, and now when it finally happened it had been even more than he had dared to dream about.  
  
Hermione lay trembling in his strong arms, her heart beating like crazy but her body exhausted. She had loved every minute of it and stroked his chest for reassurance.  
  
@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----@-----  
  
I've dreamed of you  
  
Always feeling you  
  
Were there  
  
And all my life  
  
I have searched for you  
  
Everywhere  
  
I caught your smile  
  
In the morning sun  
  
I heard your whisper  
  
On the breeze of night  
  
I prayed one day  
  
That your arms would hold me tight  
  
And just when I  
  
Thought love had passed me by  
  
We met  
  
That first look  
  
In your eyes  
  
I can't forget  
  
You melted me  
  
With your tender touch  
  
I felt all fear and sorrow  
  
Slip away  
  
Now here we stand  
  
Hand in hand  
  
This blessed day  
  
I promise you  
  
As I give to you  
  
My heart  
  
That nothing in this world  
  
Shall keep us apart  
  
Come happily ever after be  
  
The man I'll love  
  
Until the very end  
  
I've dreamed of you  
  
My great love  
  
And my best friend  
  
For God must know  
  
How I love you so  
  
He's blessed us here today  
  
As man and wife  
  
Come dream with me  
  
As I've dreamed of you  
  
All my life  
  
Come dream with me  
  
As I've dreamed of you  
  
All my life  
  
Barbra Streisand – "I've dreamed of you" 


	13. Al Fin con Amore

Never to far away I wont let time erase One bit of yesterday and I have learned that Nobody can take your place Though we can never be I'll think of you and me Always remember Love You're never to far.........  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
When a Man Loves a Woman:  
  
Chapter XIII : "Al Fin con Amore"  
  
Severus slept more comfortably than he had in years, dreaming of his beautiful wife that he loved more than anything. He turned to his side so he could gather her to him, but found himself alone in his bed. He woke with a start, looking at clock that stood on the night-stand, he realised that it was in the middle of the night. Where was Hermione?  
  
He looked around, then he heard some noises from the bathroom. Someone was crying. He stood up, took his robe and opened the door to the bathroom. He closed his eyes before he could adjust them to the light. Hermione sat there crying with her head on her arms that she leaned against the toilette.  
  
Severus sank down next to her, pulling her up and gathering her in his arms. He looked down at her tear-stained face. Hermione held onto him as if her life depended on it.  
  
"Darling, what is it?" he asked.  
  
"Severus", she sobbed and looked up at him, "Are you going to leave me tonight?" Severus sighed. She was still thinking about it. Would he and his wife ever find peace? If not in this world, then maybe with God. When he didn't respond, Hermione cried out and buried her face in his chest.  
  
"There, there, love. I don't know what will happen, but I shall fight against it."  
  
She looked up at him, Severus took her left hand in his left.  
  
"Look, love, we vowed today that we will love each other for as long as we shall live" He kissed the ring on her finger.  
  
"Please" she said, her voice shaking. It was barely a whisper, but loud enough for Severus to hear. "Please, Severus, tell me that you will come back tomorrow and live with me till we grow old and die."  
  
"As much as I would love to say that, a part of me cannot". This made her cry even harder. "But, Hermione, can you promise me one thing?"  
  
"Anything" she said with her voice cracked.  
  
"If I die, please live on and be happy, and say you'll love me for the rest of my life. With that knowledge I can die in peace."  
  
Hermione trembled like a dry leaf in the wind.  
  
"Severus, I will not love you for the rest of your life" his eyes bulged out till she added, "I will love you for the rest of mine."  
  
Those words brought more tears in Severus's than anything ever had, he looked down at her, the love of his life, before he met her mouth in a bruising yet passionate kiss.  
  
When they parted, she tried to hide a yawn but failed.  
  
"It's in the middle of the night" he said and helped her up from the floor "Darling, will you come back to bed? It's cold without you." She nodded and followed him back to the bedroom.  
  
They both lied down and Severus gathered her to him, kissing the top of her head. He brought the coverlet over them. She lay with her head pillowed on his chest and heard his heart beating in regular beats. She realised how much she was going to miss him.  
  
She started to kiss his chest and was rewarded with a gentle groan from her husband. She kissed him up to his throat, hearing him whisper her name she brought her mouth up to his where they blended together perfectly.  
  
Severus gently rolled her over so he was lying on top of her. His hands stroked her all over, finding new sensitive areas that made her whisper his name in delight.  
  
Hermione stroked his strong back as he worshipped her with his hands and his body. She shivered as his silky voice murmured words of love and desire into her ear.......  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
Severus woke up late that morning and was this time greeted with his wife's relaxed face. Raising himself on his elbow, he smiled softly. She was warm from sleeping. He pulled a stray of hair away from her face and placed it behind her ear. She looked exquisite when she was lying there in her naked beauty. He gently kissed her cheek.  
  
"Good morning, my love" he whispered gently. She stirred a little and opened her eyes later. She smiled to him and brought her arm around his neck, pulling him down to her again, he buried his face in her neck.  
  
"It's cold without you too" she said and kissed his temple. He chuckled, trying to be as happy as possible. He kissed her softly on her lips. As he rose later from the bed, she moaned in protest.  
  
"I'll be right back" he said, Hermione leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to be as calm as possible. If this day was going to be the only honeymoon she would get, then she would enjoy it. Her eyes flew open as she felt herself being brought from the bed by a pair of strong arms and carried to the bathroom.  
  
Severus climbed down in the large tub that was filled with bubbles and kept Hermione in his lap. Turning her so her back was against his stomach he started to massage her shoulders. Hermione leaned back and sighed in enjoyment.  
  
When she felt his hands leave her shoulders, she turned to look at him and came up in his lap again, this time she straddled Severus so that her legs were bound around his waist. His arms came up around her shoulders and as a baby being baptised he leaned her head down into the water so that only her hair got wet. He brought her up and started to wash her hair with shampoo and rinsed it with the shower. He poured some of the conditioner into her hair and combed his long fingers through it. She returned the favour later with washing his own hair.  
  
They stayed in the dungeons for the rest of the day, till the evening came.  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
Severus stood dressed and ready to leave at the entrance of the school.  
  
The professors of the school, some of the students and his wife stood before him and said good bye.  
  
"Take care of yourself" Albus said and hugged him, Minerva did the same gesture with tears in her eyes.  
  
As he came to his wife he could see how she really tried not to cry.  
  
She crushed him in her arms and whispered over and over 'I love you' in his ears and he responded to her with all the love he had.  
  
As he let go of her he could feel how his own tears started to fill his eyes, but just as his hands reached the door he heard his wife screaming "NO!" and came running toward him, grasping his shoulder. She held onto him.  
  
He kissed away her tears and brought his lips down to hers.  
  
Hagrid came forward and pulled Hermione back from him so he could go. Hermione tried to fight against him, but she was to weak.  
  
Severus brought his hand up to his mouth and blew her a kiss before he left.  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
He stood alone in a big dark room.  
  
"Ah, Severus, how nice of you to come". He knew that voice so very well.  
  
"Lucious, what is that you want?" he asked with no fear in his voice.  
  
"Oh, but my dear Severus, I think you know that perfectly well". Suddenly a big fire burned in the end of the room. Severus knew where he was, this was the Dark Lord's duelling room where death eater after death eater had died. Severus turned around and saw Lucious and Draco standing a few yards from him.  
  
"Severus Snape, you are a disgrace to the Dark Lord, stealing the love of a teenage boy, I never thought you could sink lower."  
  
"What I do is none of your business, and just for the record, that little brat of yours is not capable of loving anything."  
  
"And I suppose you think you know how to love?" he asked with a selfish grin on his face.  
  
"Dad, can't you just kill him or something so I can have my chick back okay?"  
  
"Since when was that chick yours, really?" Severus asked with one eyebrow raised "And you Lucious, you're allowing your son to fall in love with a muggleborn?"  
  
Severus could see how much Lucious really fought to come up with an answer to that.  
  
Just as Lucious was about to draw his wand, a voice interrupted him.  
  
"Let me do that, Lucious", a voice that sounded like a hiss of a snake said.  
  
The three men's attention turned to the direction of the voice and right out of nowhere, Voldermort appeared, his big yellow eyes burning with rage.  
  
"Severus, I have been informed that you have been stealing Lucious son's future wife"  
  
"I can assure you master, that is not correct."  
  
"Then what do you call this then?" Lucious said and grabbed Severus left hand, showing off the wedding ring.  
  
Voldermort screamed and blew a curse in Severus direction, Severus flew from the floor and right up in the air, hitting the ceiling with his back he later landed on the floor....lifeless.  
  
Lucious and Draco smiled as satisfied as they could.  
  
"Finally, no more boring potions lessons for me" Draco laughed.  
  
"Thank you, master" Lucious said and shook Voldermort's hand.  
  
"DAD!" Draco screamed and both Lucious and Voldermort turned and saw how Severus struggled to sit up.  
  
Severus was surprised that he felt no pain, except something burning like hell on his chest. Whining in pain he ripped his robes open and right there on his chest right above his heart was the same scar that Harry Potter had on his fore head.  
  
"WHAT!!!!!" Voldermort screamed "First Potter, now you!!!!!!"  
  
Severus started to whimper and scream in pain as the scar suddenly started to glow a very bright red light that shot right at Voldermort.  
  
Voldermort screamed and cried out as the light hit him, destroying him with everything that it had. He burned up, it tore him apart, and then he was dead.  
  
Severus unbuttoned his left sleeve and saw that the tattoo had disappeared.  
  
"What was that, father?" Draco asked nervously.  
  
For the first time in his very life, Lucious Malfoy was speechless.  
  
Looking up at the two blonde men, Severus drew his wand.  
  
"Severus, no!!!" Lucious screamed but was to late, Severus threw a spell at them, knocking them out and later apparated them to Azkaban.  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
Hermione stood on the balcony to the Gryffindor-tower. She had spent the evening with Harry and Ron. Both of them had gone to sleep, but Hermione couldn't sleep even if she wanted, she longed for Severus so much she couldn't do anything.  
  
She stood in her night-gown that fluttered as the wind played with it's white silk, her hair was loose and her eyes were sad.  
  
She held a rose in her hands. It was on of the black roses with silver stem that Severus had given her. But now only the stem was left, she had picked of all the petals and sent them flying with the wind. Hoping they could somehow help her husband.  
  
She twisted the stem in her hands and dropped it later to the ground. Looking up again she saw a shadow moving on the ground. She tried to look closer but the person was impossible to identify, it was so dark.  
  
Severus went limping to the castle with his hand clutched over his heart, damn the scar burned.  
  
Standing just a few feet from the door he saw something shining in the grass. Picking it up he immediately recognised the stem. He looked up, and there at the balcony was the most beautiful sight he could ever imagine, his wife.  
  
The second Hermione saw that it was Severus she felt the happiness come back in her heart and she rushed down the stairs to the main entrance, to her husband.  
  
Severus opened the big doors to the castle and tried to walk as fast as he could in his wife's direction.  
  
Hermione ran to him with tears pouring down her cheeks. Severus opened his arms to her and she ran into them, her feet losing contact with the ground. He ignored the pain he felt in his chest, he just wanted to hold her, to be close to her. Hermione showered his face with kisses.  
  
"You're alive" she cried and realised that his robes were torn apart.  
  
"What has happened to you?" she asked and gasped when she saw the scar.  
  
"It is thanks to your love for me that I live." He said and kissed her. He carried her down to their rooms later and made love to her with more emotions than ever.  
  
Since the scar had been placed above his heart, Severus's and Hermione's love had shone out and killed Voldermort with the power that only love can hold.  
  
Hermione and Severus lived happily and in love for the rest of their lives.  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
When a man loves a woman  
  
Can't keep his mind on nothing else  
  
He'd trade the world  
  
For a good thing he's found  
  
If she is bad, he can't see it  
  
She can do no wrong  
  
Turn his back on his best friend  
  
If he puts her down  
  
When a man loves a woman  
  
Spend his very last dime  
  
Trying to hold on to what he needs  
  
He'd give up all his comforts  
  
And sleep out in the rain  
  
If she said that's the way  
  
It ought to be  
  
Well, this man loves you, woman  
  
I give you everything I've got  
  
Trying to hold on  
  
To your precious love  
  
Baby please don't treat me bad  
  
When a man loves a woman  
  
Deep down in his soul  
  
She can bring him such misery  
  
If she is playing him for a fool  
  
He's the last one to know  
  
Loving eyes can never see  
  
Yes when a man loves a woman  
  
I now exactly how he feels  
  
'Cause baby, baby, baby  
  
I am a man  
  
When a man loves a woman  
  
Michael Bolton –"When a Man Loves a Woman"  
  
Authors note: I can't believe that it's all over, I have poured everything I know about love into this fic' and I hope you all love it as much as I. The song in the beginning is Mariah Carey's "Never to far" from the not so very successful movie "Glitter". I have to thank my sister for correcting grammatical error in all thirteen chapters, and also a big thank you to all my reviewers who has followed this fic' chapter after chapter.....I love you all.  
  
Hugs and kisses,  
  
Snowstar. 


End file.
